More than Anything
by taylorishotterthanrob
Summary: After being friends for over twenty years, a friendship filled with ups and downs, and awkward prom nights; Bella and Edward decide to take it to the next level. As long as they can move past his manwhore past, her parents and the exchange of her silver spoon for a plastic one. AH/AU Humor/Friendship/Romance/Drama Updates every two days!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**2005- Prom night **

"That..." I shivered as I stared wide eyed at the ceiling of a motel room. I had no clue what I'd been expecting, but that wasn't it.

"It..." He started, his voice cold as he lay next to me, unmoving.

We'd planned this for a while, settling all of the details before the end of our winter break. It was supposed to be perfect, mind blowing and we loved each other.

That's all you were supposed to need... Right?

Wrong.

We were so wrong. Apparently some experience should be in the hands of at least one person. It was much like baking a cake. You can't just go in knowing nothing and start mixing shit together, hoping the outcome doesn't have an explosive chemical reaction. No, there are directions, from an experienced baker. Directions that were put to use in many kitchens, tested multiple times, not just once. Those directions needed to be around the block a few times before they really knew what they were doing.

"I don't..." It was ridiculous. We'd basically thrown in a clueless baker, and directions that had watched the baking on a cooking show but hadn't actually tried it themselves. The end reaction was explosive. Not in the "call the fire station" kind of explosive, but a good, relaxing kind.

Well I guess it was supposed to be relaxing, it just hurt.

"It looks... So much better on the videos." He whispered his voice a little shaky. "Less complicated." Maybe that's because the videos turned off before pillow talk. The videos didn't ruin relationships. The actual act was much simpler in real life, aided by the mood music and lighting.

It had started off perfectly, he met me at my house told me how beautiful I was and gushed over my dark blue gown, which hugged me perfectly, might I add. He listened to my mom rant about image and being appropriate, and then we left. We went in to prom, an extremely extravagant event. Oh it was beautiful, expensive and boring as hell.

So, we dipped.

And in favor of Prom we headed to the least sketchy motel of them all. I wasn't sure, but it sure sounded like one of Edward's videos next door... Probably due to the fact that we'd seen an elderly gentleman pay a sparsely clad woman at the door when we first arrived.

I said _least_ sketchy.

They still had to be sketchy enough to let two seventeen year olds pay and stay the night alone.

"Holy... _oh yes_, Papi!" That... That wasn't us. Nope, we still laid about an inch apart, because the bed didn't allow more room, staring up at the ceiling.

Not gonna lie, I was hoping that we'd sound a little like that, but nah... It was too awkward to even...

"It'd probably be best if we don't do that again." I whispered my voice thick.

"Like... Ever?" He asked incredulously. "It didn't feel bad... Weird but-" he stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry."

I wrinkled my nose, having no clue what he was sorry about. It wasn't his fault it hurt so much- well it was, if he weren't so... Generously endowed I would probably still have the ability to walk. But that wasn't really his fault that we didn't know anything. Well, he knew enough, I guess you could say. He made me... You know... Feel nice, before he ripped me in two. He just shouldn't have been sorry.

"Maybe we just need practice." He said slowly, as if to gauge my reaction.

"Uh." My heart dropped and my left hand fidgeted with the sheets. I hated this. I couldn't even attempt to be normal, or comfortable, with him after that. I did want to be honest with him though because before we went all the way, he made me feel good, special.

"It was nice... At first." I whispered, my eyes flicking around the ceiling as I worked to control my breathing.

"I heard it hurts for girls the first time." We'd already had this conversation before. Just to prep ourselves, it was days before but I knew that. And knowing didn't ease the pain at all. It hurt that much and I don't think he was all the way in. He got a few good... You know... Before he orgasmed. But he looked nervous the entire time, like he was going to hurt me, which he did.

"I tried to not... I didn't fully..." He put up a hand, waving it in the air.

"Thanks..." I whispered. I didn't know how to let him know that it wasn't bad per say, it just hurt too much to be pleasurable. That wasn't his fault either.

I heard his head move on the pillows and I immediately pulled the sheet over my chest, even though he'd seen it all before.

"I don't want things to be weird like this." He whispered, making me turn and meet his eye. He looked remorseful and I frowned, cupping his cheek and clutching the sheet.

"Me either." His arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer, making me cry out.

"I'm sorry." He gasped moving his arm away. "So... So sorry." I had a feeling he was apologizing for more than moving me too quickly. "God, babe, so sorry." I shook my head and kissed the side of his mouth.

"If it helps... I still love you." He said, sounding sad.

"More than anything." I whispered before our lips met again. The sound of clicking heels outside made me sigh, kind of glad the solicitor had moved on from the man next door.

Then the headboard next door started slamming into the wall again and an emotionless voice spoke loudly.

"What a whore." I yanked away from him at the sound of my best friend's voice.

"Here?" Another girl's voice rang out making my eyes widen as I looked over.

"You told?" I cried, moving away from him as quickly and carefully as I could.

"This is it, right?" My friend asked before there were four knocks on the door. Tears pricked at my eyes as I looked to Edward.

"Only Emmett!" He said sitting up and glaring at the door. I scrambled to the bathroom, taking the sheet with me. "Bella! He helped me-" I slammed the bathroom door shut as he ran to me.

"How could you?! We were supposed to-"

"I don't know how they found out!" He whisper-yelled, trying to contain his temper. I flipped on the bathroom lights and sat down on the tub, burying my face in my hands.

Betrayal was all I could feel.

He wasn't supposed to just be some pig. He was different... Why would he do that to me?

I gasped through my tears as I realized what hell I'd be subjected to at school. They would surely get it out and I would be extirpated. Be called a whore, easy... For the rest of my high school career.

"Let me in the damn bathroom! I didn't tell anyone but Emmett." He spoke of his brother who was in college now. The doorknob jiggled roughly and I almost expected him to barge in laughing, with Tanya and Lauren behind him, snapping pictures.

He didn't though; he came in and knelt in front of me, in his boxers.

"You said you wanted to make it special!" I cried, pushing him away. "You just used me!" I yelled before slapping him. His head snapped to the side and I gasped at myself. He cupped his cheek and glared at me.

"You don't trust me?" He sounded heartbroken but I knew it was a hoax. Just like him wanting to do _it_ with someone he loved.

You don't do these things to the people you love.

"How can I?" The door to the room gave way apparently because a gust of cold air swirled in and footstep grew louder. I tightened the covers and he went to the door, locking it and shutting us in. His eyes locked on mine and my lip quivered as I realized how bad things were.

"Please." He begged me to accept the lie and it made me sick.

My lip curled and my hand snapped forward again, meeting his cheek.

"Fuck you, Edward Cullen."

~-~(/)~-~

**Hello, and welcome to More than Anything!**

**I hope you all enjoyed at least a little… **

**I promise that the chapters are longer than this, because… this is just a prologue. **

**I'll try and update around every two days! **

**Tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 1

Present Day

"Bella, I don't want you to use me for my body." Edward sighed, holding up his hands as I walked towards my car in the parking lot. I jumped at the sight of him and he grinned. "But I'm not completely against it." He wrapped his arms around me and spun me around, my feet leaving the ground. My heart slammed in my chest as I hugged him back.  
"What are you talking about?" I giggled, holding on to him for dear life.  
"I don't know, I just thought it'd be an adequate conversation starter." He kissed my cheek and then my nose. I bit my lip and slapped his bicep as he wiggled his eyebrows. "It wasn't. But didju' miss me?" He asked quietly before dipping his head and nipping at my neck.

I laughed, "Not even a little."

"I was gone for a whole six months."

"You were gone for five days." I said narrowing my eyes.

"The days feel like years without you, my love." He said lowly, his rich voice turning into pure sex as he spoke. I let out a soft whimper and he winked before pressing his lips to mine. I moaned against his mouth, about to mold into him when he pulled away. "That deserved a kiss in my opinion." I rolled my eyes and bit my lip as he tossed an arm over my shoulder.

"I'm surprised you're here, and not with Tanya." I said poking his side.

"Tanya can kiss my ass, I'm spending the night with my Bell-sy." He grinned, pulling me in closer and turning my back towards my building.

"Well, it's seven-thirty in the morning, first of all. And second, I have to get to work. So as much as I would love for you to sexually harass me all day, I've got stuff to do."  
"But, I'm tired." He frowned making my lift my eyebrows. "Okay, how about this, you call in for a substitute and I'll make the money you would make today up to you."  
"Why don't you just go upstairs and sleep and by the time you wake up, I'll be home." I shrugged, gesturing up to my building.  
"I wanted to sleep with you." He said, putting his hands on his hips. I knew he just meant cuddle, but Edward Cullen didn't give a shit about double entendres. "Come on, Babe. I know you missed me just as much." He pulled me back against him and kissed my neck. I shook my head because of course I'd missed his hot ass.  
"You can come with me." I said regretfully. Last time Edward had shown up the staff had done me the pleasure of buying a wedding planning book. It was embarrassing.  
"Well if it's really that hard for you-" I gripped his forearm, rising on to my tip toes.  
"No, it's just... We're testing and you're just a tad bit distracting." He pursed his lips, moving his mouth to the left.  
"It's the face, huh?" He asked.

"It's the face." I nodded with a mock pout.

"Damn my devilishly good looks." He said laying it on thick with the accent.

"Oh and with the terrible accent too? You're just a lady killer."

"I don't know why you're laughing. It's real, jerk." He bumped my arm and tugged my keys out of my hands. "It's not like you haven't been wet for me since we met." I pursed my lips.

"Oh I was definitely attracted to the five year old version of you." I said lifting an eyebrow and heading to the passenger's seat of my car. We both got in and he rolled his eyes, starting up the car. "And if I recall, you were the only one wetting yourself." He rolled his eyes and zoomed out of the parking lot.

"I was nervous." He wrinkled his nose. "Imagine moving from beautiful London to a new country where everyone had ugly accents and cows-"

"Who had a cow, Edward?" He ignored me but a smirk pulled at the corners of his lips.

"Then having a little, brown haired, snot smack you on your first day, that wasn't too fun either." He sighed, squinting at the road ahead.

"I didn't smack you. I was waving and your face got in the way."

"That doesn't happen, Bella. Ever."

"Apparently it does." I rolled my eyes before sneaking glances at his strong profile.

There was no doubt my best friend was gorgeous. It was actually fucking ridiculous how attractive he was. His strong, scruff covered jaw just begged to be licked, especially when he flexed it. His full lips met in a soft, sinful pout that would make angels weep. His slim nose that was slightly pointed, but not overly so, was framed by two high, defined cheek bones. Then there were the eyes. He had wide, pure jade eyes. The color was so magnificent it went unmatched; even his mother's eyes weren't that pure. His eyebrows were thick and just as perfect, and sculpted as the rest of him.

There was a reason he was nicknamed Adonis in high school.

Despite the fact that he put Adonis to shame.

"Bella, _Jesus_... If you keep looking at me like that..." I snapped back to the present to see his eyes dark with want.

"Sorry," I whispered, "it's the face." He gave me a sexy smirk and my stomach twisted with want.

"We have enough time for a quicky..." He said with a shrug, looking at the clock on my dashboard that read 8:07.

_Because that worked out so well the last time._

"My class starts in eight minutes." I said, biting my lip. I looked up to see him staring at my mouth, he leaned forward and I turned my cheek, so that his lips pressed against my flushed skin. If he kissed me now, we wouldn't leave the car for another hour. He didn't pull away, resting his forehead against my temple.

"I missed you." He said again, his sweet breath ghosting down my neck. We got like this every time he left for business. Obviously we didn't fair too well without each other.

"I missed you too, but I have to get to work." I pouted, grabbing my purse and the bag with all of my graded papers. I almost kicked my car door open and hauled ass up the stairs of Forks Elementary.

"Hi, Ms. Swan!" Little voices chorused as they stood, waving at me from where they stood outside the building. Alice chuckled at me and shook her head as I ran up to where she stood, supervising all of the kids.

"Hey, guys!" I waved back at them as I adjusted my bag on my shoulder.

"I'll send your class in last," Alice said as the bells rang and she and the others on line duty lifted their hands up to call the kids to attention.

"Thank you!" I called pulling open a door. "I owe you!"

"I know." She giggled before sending in Mr. Thompson's class. I darted through the halls and quickly unlocked my door as the loud crowd of kids filed in.

I'd been teaching at Forks Elementary for two years, it was the same school I'd done my student teaching from and I loved it. The kids were great and as far as I knew the liked me as much as I did them. There was only one problem with the school.

It was completely oppressive to newer teachers, like me. The shit they did was like hazing but far worse. The few, who had stood up to the administration, and the board, were quickly fired because they'd been unjustly denied tenure, again like me. The kids were really the only thing that eased the blow.

I only had time enough to sit my things down and pull off my coat before my kids entered, hanging their coats and backpacks on the racks.

Edward strolled in behind them wearing the school's mandatory visitor sticker. After all the kids were seated I clapped twice, receiving a number of unorganized claps back.

"Welcome back, and happy Friday!" I started, eliciting a few excited whoops. "As I'm sure you saw, Mr. Cullen is joining us again-" five hands shot into the air and I sighed and pointed at the closest to me.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Kaelin asked as she stared unabashedly at him.

"No." I smiled before picking on another hand.

"Your husband?"

"We're friends." I said with a wince as I looked back to Edward who was laughing his ass off at me from his seat in the back. "Okay, no more questions. Our lesson today is on page ninety seven, We'll be learning about the semicolon today." I smiled warmly.

"My dad has a colon!" Little Tyler yelled from his seat. "He had it oscopied the other day!" The rest of the glass giggled even though I was positive none of them knew what a colonoscopy was. Edward snorted loudly from the back to, making the kids laugh harder. I bit my lip to keep from laughing and turned to the board, writing SEMICOLON in caps.

"Let's get started, shall we?" I said with a smirk. "Linden, would you like to read for us?" The little blonde in the back nodded happily and started lisping her way through the paragraph.

My phone chimed on my hip and I sat behind my desk, pulling out and reading it underneath the desk.

_**I'm definitely hot for teacher ;) -E**_

I blushed and met his eyes across the room to see him bite his lip.

_I'm going to put you in the hall if you can't keep it together-B_

_**Will you spank me too? -E**_

Iswallowed thickly and looked up as Linden finished.

"Good." I smiled, "Kevin?" The little redhead nodded and ducked his head to look at the book.

_This is going to be a long day. -B_

_**I'm sorry- E**_

I rolled my eyes and my phone buzzed again.

_**I love you-E**_

I bit my lip, to keep from grinning like a fool as I looked up at him. He blew me a kiss and after checking to make sure no one looked I pretended to catch it and cheekily but it in my pocket. I quickly handed out tests and let the kids get started while Edward and I continued texting.

When it was time for lunch, I walked my kids to the cafeteria and made sure they were seated before I went back to Edward. He sat at my desk flipping through my phone when I returned.

"What are you doing?" I asked, perching on the desk in front of him and taking my phone.

"Looking for nudes." He shrugged, stealing it back.

"I don't have any." I rolled my eyes, curling a lip. His eyes widened and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Hold on…" He pulled out his own phone and scrolled through his photo gallery.

"Then whose are these?" He asked, opening a picture of naked breasts and turning them my way. The weirdest, most despicable part was I knew who the overly operated on boobs belonged to. I pushed the phone down, in case anyone happened to walk in.

"Those are Tanya's." I said biting my lip. He nodded and shrugged before patting his lap, because getting nudes is average for him. I smiled knowing no one would be able to see us as I moved into his lap.

"When have I ever sent you a nude?" I rolled my eyes and he shrugged, laying his head on my chest.

"I thought you missed me enough to cross the line into friends with benefits." I locked eyes with him, giving him a withering look. That line was almost invisible at the moment.

"No, babe." I said tapping his lips with my finger. "I did miss you enough to endure the upcoming Edward-packed weekend, though."

"Well you sure know how to make a guy feel special." He said with a country accent, with undertones of his normal cockney accent. I grinned and rested my head on his shoulder.

"I try." I smiled against his neck. His arm circled my waist as he continued going through my pictures.

"Have you talked to your parents since I left?" He asked and my eyebrows furrowed. I looked down at the picture of my parents, his brother and the president. They looked so damn snooty that I was surprised I'd kept the picture I wasn't allowed in. I wasn't presentable that day, as per Renee Swan, in my slacks and silk blouse. So I was on picture taking duty the day the president met my parents and Emmett Cullen for brunch which was years ago. My parents were among Washington's elite, the reason for the president's visit. My grandfather founded the largest industrial company in the U.S. and his money had been bestowed on my parents and grandmother. Therefore making my parents believe they were the hottest shit since bacon.

"No."

"Don't leave things like that, Bella." I ignored his words and fingered his collar. His eyes trailed down my arm to my hand before flicking up to mine.

"I made a pretty big decision this week. Gave a bunch of money to charity… They aren't too happy, or they won't be when they find out." I shrugged.

"Let me guess, _"there wouldn't be a problem if those people worked for food and shelter. Just like the rest of us_"." He said mocking my mother in a high pitched American accent which was still very bad and exaggerated despite his being here for two decades. His voice took on a whiny tone and I wrinkled my nose. ""_**Mom, what are you talking about? You married rich**_." "_And you could to if you'd get your life together! How about that nice, sexy, too-fine-for-his-own-good Cullen boy? You'd have to be a lesbian to resist him_!"" I scowled at his making fun of me and he laughed, not knowing how scary accurate that was.

Apart from the accents.

"You know what-?"

"Bella!" Alice's voice shrieked as she almost pulled my door off of the hinges. I yelped and scrambled out of Edward's lap, landing on the floor. He furrowed his eyebrows, before helping me stand.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, I nodded and turned to Alice.

"Oh!" She squealed, stopping in the doorway. "Never mind."

I blushed and pushed my hair behind my ear. "Alice, this is Edward. Edward, Alice." Alice Brandon, Forks Elementary kindergarten teacher. We'd met during my student teaching and we became fast friends. She aside from Edward was my best friend.

She just held up her hands and ducked out of the room. "I saw nothing."

~?(~)?~

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**I hope you like this one too!**

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**Next update: Wednesday**

**Have a Happy New Year!**


	3. Chapter 2

I woke up at six Sunday morning to see a text from Edward. I quickly sat up to answer it.

_**I need your help, babe- E**_

_What's wrong, you want me to come over? -B_

_**I need you to help me get rid of Tanya…-E**_

_You're on your own- B_

_**Baby, please?- E**_

_No –B_

_**Please? I'll love you forever- E**_

_I thought you already did-B_

_**Of course I do, but please? I'll make it up to you… ;)-E**_

"You know who I hate?" Tanya said sloppily.

"No." I said in hopes that she'd shut up. She put a hand on my shoulder to steady herself as she slipped on a strappy stiletto.

"Lauren Mallory." She huffed and I lifted an eyebrow. The women were extremely close, all through high school, we all were. But I'd since broken off and they were just spotted hanging out the day before by tabloids.

"I thought you and Lauren were friends." I blurted and she cackled loudly. Edward rounded a corner with wide eyes, still in his boxers. He gave us a weird look before yanking on a t-shirt he held in his hand.

"Oh no. And now she's poor so I don't have to fake it anymore." She smiled widely and pulled a hair tie I'd brought for myself off of my wrist and put her hair up in a sloppy bun. "Kind of like when you lost it all." I rolled my eyes and Edward winced.

"I never lost anything."

"_Anyway, _her parents-" She stopped and held her stomach as her eyes grew twice their size. "I'm going to puke." She moaned, I pulled her over to Edward's sink and turned my head away as the rotten smelling shit she'd consumed came back up. "Her parents lost it _all_ now she works for the club so that they can get discounted memberships and stuff! So stupid. Like we know poor people when we see them." She laughed loudly and burped before leaning over the sink again and throwing up.

I turned to Edward with narrowed eyes and he held up his hands as if to pray. _"I'll love you forever." _He mouthed.

"_You can't do this why?"_ I asked silently and he mimicked doing shot for shot, making me roll my eyes. _"You owe me."_ I mouthed and he nodded. I let Tanya throw up for a while and grabbed the keys to Edward's Volvo off of the key board next to his cupboard.

"Woah, what if she barfs?" Edward asked grabbing the other end of the key chain.

My eyes widened at the audacity. "What if you just paid for a cab for her?"

He bit his lip, "I was going to-"

"I don't take cabs." Tanya said before hurling into the sink again.

"And I wanted to see you, Bellsy." He smiled and batted his eyelashes before grabbing my chin and pecking my lips.

"You stink." I said wrinkling my nose and pushing him away. He smelled like old booze and sweat.

"Jeeze, I knew you were a player Cullen, but this is a little quick isn't it? I mean I haven't even left the house." Tanya moaned from over the sink.

"It's not like that, Tanya." He sighed and I rolled my eyes, pushing him away from me.

"You think if I were romantically interested in him I'd be driving your skank ass home?" I asked, pulling Edward's keys free. "Let's go before I decide to leave you." I sighed walking towards the garage door.

"Eddie…" Tanya whimpered, I heard him slowly drag his feet to her before returning behind me. I opened the door and let him slide her in. He helped her buckle her seatbelt and let her kiss his cheek before pulling out and slamming the door closed.

"Thank you so much."

"Yeah… Yeah…"

"I _love_ you," He sang, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek.

"This is why people always think I'm a recurring notch in your belt." I sighed, hugging him back anyway as a smile tugged at my lips.

"Aren't you?" He asked kissing my cheek again. I rolled my eyes and pushed him away.

"Get in the car and shut up."

"Woah, I'm not going." He said pulling back quickly and holding his hands above his head. "I dealt with her for a night, that's long enough."

"Yeah, and you got a happy ending. I don't even get a tip. Get in the car or I'm totaling it."

He raised his eyebrows. "I'll buy another."

"Isn't this the same one you've had since high school? It'd be a shame if-" He huffed and ripped open the back door, ducking into the backseat. I smirked and walked around the car to get in. They both groaned as the old ass car roared to life, then again as the garage creaked open. I backed out of the drive way quickly and let down the sunroof, letting light in.

"I should have known you weren't going to make this easy on us." Edward sighed, laying across the backseat and burying his face in the seat.

"You might want to watch out for stray jizz on that, babe." I told him, "This _was_ your personal love shack back in the good ole days." I teased; he groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position, glaring at me in the mirror.

"So much sex…" He whispered holding his head. I chuckled and drove onto the highway, the one always filled with bad drivers and impatient assholes who felt the need to honk every few seconds. "Bella… no…" I laid on the horn as I got cut off and Edward let out a groan while Tanya decided to start crying. After a few minutes of her banshee wails I took the closest exit and took some back streets on the way to her mansion.

"Why do you hate me?" Edward asked as I headed down the suburban street sectioned off with speed bumps. Tanya moaned something about her need to throw up and Edward shoved a bag at her.

"I love you, dear. Why would you ask that?" I asked sweetly as I tuned onto a smoother street. A few windy roads later and I arrived at the Denali Mansion's gate. I rolled down my window and spoke to their butler over the intercom.

"Yes, Gerard, she's wasted." I said, feigning concern for the hooker. The little uptight man on the screen nodded and the gates creaked open.

"Edward, aren't you going to help me up the stairs?" Tanya asked as she pushed open her door. He nodded and I watched as he got out and wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her up the steps. They both moved slowly and winced like hell, I couldn't tell but it looked like she started crying at the end.

"Don't ever ask me to take anyone you slept with home again." I said pointing at him when he opened the passenger door. He nodded and held out his pointer finger, locking it with mine.

"Promise… but uh," His head lolled back as he looked at me. "Does it make you jealous?" He asked lifting an eyebrow.

_Maybe._

"No. But I'm not your personal servant." I rolled my eyes.

"I can make it up to you." He reached out and put his hand on my knee, caressing it slowly. I watched his hand, and kept myself from scooting towards it. A slow tingle spread from his hand up my thigh until I was mildly aroused.

By his hand.

Fuck my life.

It would be much easier if my best friend didn't radiate sex. Even better than that if he wasn't so handsy. I bit my lip as his hand moved slowly up my thigh, painfully slow. As much as I wanted him to continue, it was pretty obvious things wouldn't end well.

I wasn't planning on letting that happen again.

"You're going to sing the Star Spangled Banner to me?" I asked with wide eyes. Edward's English ways were something he was desperately trying to keep. Little things that faded away with every year he'd been in America, such as his accent, were worrisome. He was insistent that he was the same Englishman now that he was when he first moved here.

His family moved to Washington when he was five.

"I can sing God Save the Queen." He said giving me an irritated look.

"No you can't…" I said with a mock pout. He opened his mouth with a determined look before his eyebrows furrowed.

"Damn it!" I nodded and he groaned. "I was thinking of something else anyway." I bit my lip as my attempt to side track him failing miserably. His hand slid dangerously higher and I gasped. I grabbed his wrist and he leaned over in his seat, nuzzling my neck. My eyes slid shut as his soft, full lips pressed against my neck. I'd successfully stopped his hand mid-thigh and he choose to massage it, letting his fingers slide up higher.

"Dude, we haven't even left the last ones property…" I said with a start as I pushed his hand away. I moved away from that delicious mouth of his and he furrowed his eyebrows.

"I didn't sleep with Tanya, babe." He said huskily as he leaned back just enough to meet my eyes. "I don't really know what happened… I just know that even drunk I wouldn't hit that with a ten foot pole."

"Hey, it isn't my business." I held up my hands and started up the car so he didn't get me naked in the driveway.

"Just letting you know." He smirked and searched my eyes before sitting back in his seat, seemingly satisfied by what he saw. "So how'd _your_ date go last night?" He asked as his jaw started to tick.

"It was okay." I shrugged, gripping the steering wheel.

"Just okay?"

"Yeah. We went to this fancy restaurant and had a bottle of wine before he took me home and we had mucho sexy sex." I rolled my eyes but he wasn't looking at me so I don't think the sarcasm got across.

"Fun."

"Not as much fun as you and Tanya apparently had." I said before turning onto the freeway. Edward shifted in his seat and leaned the chair all the way back, tossing an arm over his forehead.

"Oh yeah, we had a ball. She came over bitching about how she needed a boyfriend and insisted that we get drunk and go bareback." My eyes widened and I winced in disgust. "Of course we only got drunk and made out for a while… Then I think I passed out." I was sarcastic because things didn't really ever happen that way for me. Shit like his night happened more frequently than not for him though.

"Just like high school." I shook my head.

"Except no one wanted to have my babies in high school." He shivered and I chuckled and patted his thigh.

"You'd think so, but I'm sure there's an Edward Jr. out there somewhere."

"Eh, I wasn't that bad… There were only… four? And that was all four years." He shrugged and I shook my head.

"You were a virgin until Prom junior year, Edward. So it's kind of a year and a half."

"Well, I'm sure you were worse. You little sex demon you."

"Oh yeah. There was that one time- Oh I mean that only time." I laughed as I took the exit to my apartment.

"Where are we going?" He asked, sitting his seat up.

"My place."

"Oh _baby_!" He turned to me with excitement in his eyes and my heart skipped a beat.

"Not for that," I rolled my eyes and he pouted. "I'm not sleeping with you, Edward." He deflated a little and sat back.

"You're going to sleep this off, without cat hair or whatever the hell you call it."

"Uh, don't put your spinster twist on it, B. It's hair of the _dog._ And it helps." He whined as I pulled into the complex's driveway.

"Sleep works just as well."

"Will you cuddle with me?" He pouted and I sighed, my heart fluttering naturally.

"Fine."

"Can we-"

"I'm not getting naked with you."

"Fine…" He bit his lip as I parked and sat back to look at him. "What if only I got naked and you can do with that what you will?" He smiled and I widened my eyes, nodding with faux excitement.

"Oh gee, can we?!" He pursed his lips and pushed open the car door.

"I'm surprised you'd bring me over so soon. Isn't your hot date still up there?"

"Oh yeah, I was going to let you sleep on the couch. He's in the bedroom. It should work out." I stepped out of the car and he took a while before finally getting out and joining me on the side walk.

"Bella?" He asked stopping in his tracks, I stopped too and looked up at him in confusion. "I'm not wearing pants." I looked down to see his boxers and raised my eyebrows. "Stop staring at my dick." He cupped himself and scurried ahead of me, through the building doors. I laughed and jogged after him so that I could let him in before my older neighbor got a pleasant surprise.

We reached the door quickly and I unlocked it, pushing it open for him. But like the gentleman he was he waited for me to enter first. I moseyed on in and he surveyed the apartment, his eyes flicking over every object in the room.

"This doesn't look like a room subjected to tons of hot sex." He observed. I lifted an eyebrow and plopped down on the couch.

"Oh it doesn't? Hmm, I was sure we wrecked everything after he dropped me off at the door with my bag of Wendy's." I sighed, biting my thumbnail as I turned on the television.

"Oh, babe…" I looked up to see him wearing an exhilarated smile before he wiped it off to pout at me. "Did that really happen?" I nodded and shrugged.

"He was an ugly asshole anyway." I turned back to face the tv and folded my legs Indian style.

"I would have brought ice cream if I knew it sucked." He said, his voice much farther than it was a second ago. I turned to see that he'd disappeared into my bedroom. "Where are my sweatpants?" He yelled.

"They're in the laundry room, on the washer." I said blushing as he walked past me to the small closet like room.

"Why are they in here?"

"I wore them the other night." He turned to wiggle his eyebrows at me. The look made me panic and turn my gaze to my lap. He didn't know that I'd had my own happy ending last night, in those pants… and hopefully he never would.

"Okay." He tugged them on and yanked his t-shirt over his head. I bit my lip involuntarily as he revealed every gorgeous inch of his ripped torso. I couldn't help but eye-rape the shit out of him from his broad shoulders, down the six pack abs to the deep V that disappeared into the sweatpants he wore. By the time I was done he was staring back at me with a smirk.

"I know right?" He lifted an arm to flex and winked at me.

"Eh, it's okay." I shrugged, trying to play off my awe. He chuckled and sauntered over to the couch, dropping down next to me and pulling me into his arms. I pushed away from him, accidentally feeling up his firm stomach as I did. "You need to put on a shirt. And take a shower."

"You just want to see me wet." He said tapping my chin, getting up anyway. "Lucky for you, I'm here to please."

`-/~/-`

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	4. Chapter 3

I cleared my throat as I walked up to the podium at the gate of the country club my mother frequented. A familiar blonde had her head down and had made a point of not acknowledging me as I stood at the podium. I cleared my throat loudly again and tapped her shoulder.

"We don't have public bathrooms. Member's only." Lauren said without lifting her head from a large book she was writing in. It took everything I had not to huff at how incredibly rude she was being. Let me just say that it wasn't my day. My temper was short and if this bitch didn't step off we were going to have problems.

"Well, good thing I've got a steel bladder." I snarled and she looked up with a raised eyebrow. "You know I'm here to see my mother." Mom told her I was coming and just to let me in, just like she always does.

"I wasn't expecting you to look so homely, Bella." I rolled my eyes and looked down at the black wrap dress I wore. It fit me perfect and made me look like I had more of a figure than I did. It was perfect for me, just like the waitress uniform she wore was perfect for her.

"You sound snooty for someone who's going to bus my table after I eat my _homely_ ass meal." I said, speaking in the same manner I would if we were speaking about the weather.

"What? You think you're so high and mighty because you're a teacher? You're just as poor as the rest now." She sneered.

"No, I don't feel that way at all. I just have better sense than to look down my nose at someone I'd be waiting on. I think you should too. It'll come in handy, and might even keep it secret that your family is worse off than I am." I rolled my eyes and walked past her and to my table without her assistance. Her hand on my arm stopped me in my tracks and I turned to see her glaring.

"We're doing fine. Much better than you in fact-"

"You're working here so that you can get an employee discount on a membership for your family," I said repeating everything Tanya told me before I drove her home from Edward's. "so that no one will realize they're almost bankrupt." I rolled my eyes as I spoke in hushed tones. It really wasn't my business but this bitch was pissing me off. I wanted to embarrass her, but not make a scene.

"It's okay, the business is coming back," She smiled maliciously. "and everything will be back to normal once I get Cullen to marry me." I almost choked on laughter, how delusional could she be. "It'll be nice to have an Englishman in the family." She lifted an eyebrow and I did to, out of shock. "What, you didn't realize he'd gotten tired of you?"

"We're just friends." I said for her sake and mine. "We weren't-"

"Oh I know. Because _we _are." She pulled out her iPhone and held it up, showing me her lock screen. I lifted my eyes from the phone to her smirking face and then back again. It was a picture of her kissing Edward's cheek as he smiled and looked at the table. He didn't really look happy though, just uncomfortable. The boy was smooth though, so he could feel awkward as hell and have this bitch think he was over the moon. I knew my best friend though and Lauren wasn't his type.

"Oh yeah?" I asked quietly.

"It's a new thing, but I'm thinking it'll move pretty quickly. We've got another date tonight." She rolled her neck and tucked her phone back into her balloon tits. I frowned; tonight Edward was coming over for our monthly movie and cuddle session. He'd never cancelled on me, especially for some other whore.

"Oh really?" She nodded. "Well you have fun with that." I rolled my eyes and felt my own phone vibrate in my pocket. My heart started to thunder jealously as I saw that it was Edward.

_If he cancels on me…_

I opened the message and was relieved to see: _**I seem to be parked behind your car, I'm assuming you're close?-E**_

I smiled down at the phone and looked up at Lauren who was trying to peer at my screen. I closed it and put it in my purse, away from her prying eyes.

"What?" I asked, she ignored me and turned to the side, fluffing her hair and then her boobs. I turned too to see Edward strutting towards us with a scared almost horrified smile. His eyes darted between the two of us and he winced at the sight of Lauren. He waved to her and yanked me in for a hug, squeezing the life out of me.

"What a coincidence…" He grinned, leaning back without releasing his arms from my waist.

"That you stalked me and found where I was?" I lifted an eyebrow.

"No… That I saw your car and ended up pulling in right behind it to find you." I rolled my eyes and dropped one arm from his waist, turning to face Lauren.

"I'll see you later, Lauren." I smiled politely and she sneered before beaming at Edward and leaning in to kiss him. Like… on the lips. He turned his head quickly though and she got the corner of his mouth. She looked surprised and stepped back.

"Bye, Lauren." He said brusquely as he cleared his throat. He turned to face me again, effectively blocking her out as he looked me over. "You look great." He pinched the ruched waist of my dress and I smacked his hand away.

"Thank you, don't hurt it." I said smoothing the fabric.

"Thanks Bella, I'm glad you think I look nice too." He said, obviously fishing for compliments, with an eye roll as he gestured to his- most likely Armani- suit.

"Any compliment I could offer would only prove to make your head as big as Edward-ly possible." I snickered as I leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You're still coming over at nine right?" I asked just to be sure. He didn't seem too comfortable with Lauren earlier, but I still I wanted to make sure I wouldn't get kicked to the curb.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Babe." He lightly tapped my chin before checking his watch. "Alright I have to go, just came to say 'Hey, I'm stalking you'." I shook my head and we hugged tightly once more.

"Edward Cullen?" My mother called stepping out onto the small deck we stood on. I turned to see her eyes hurriedly snap back to mine and she gave me a sinister smile.

"Hi, Mrs. Swan." He reached for her hand and she went for the hug, she sighed and he laughed. "I'll see you ladies later." I waved and he almost jogged from the property, heading back to work.

"Isabella, you've kept us waiting." Renee said linking arms with me and leading me into the dining area. She gave my dress a once over and turned up her nose.

I sighed, "What is wrong with it?"

"It just looks a little cheap, dear." She said patting my arm.

"Well, I'm living off of a teacher's salary, I can't just waste my money on a six thousand dollar dress I'll only wear every once in a while." I said sending a pointed look at herown outfit.

"This was only nine hundred, Isabella." She rolled her eyes and I shook my head. _Only_ nine hundred.

"Okay, mom." I said as we approached the table where my father sat. He looked up at us and stood from his chair, as two servers approached and pulled out chairs for my mother and me.

"Thank you." I told the young boy who nodded and scurried off. My mother didn't acknowledge either of them and lifted up a menu. "Hi, dad." I leaned over and kissed his cheek and he smiled.

"How are you, Bells?" I shrugged and bit my lip.

"I'm alright, you?"

"Fine, thank you." I said looking down at the overpriced menu. "Is there a reason you called me here?" I asked making my father shift uncomfortably. Mom looked at me over the menu for a second before looking back down. We sat in silence for a few minutes before my father spoke.

"Isabella, why don't you order?" He lifted a finger in the air and I laid my hand on his arm, making him lower it.

"I'm not hungry, I've got a meeting with the dean of my school in a little over a hour anyway." I said politely. "Please tell me what the problem is."

"Uh…" Charlie winced and put the menu on the table, straightening his suit jacket.

"Your father and I decided we'd change the parameters on your trust fund." My mother said quickly, cutting my father off. I lifted an eyebrow, knowing they'd found out about the large withdrawal.

"We saw the two million disappear, Isabella." My father said quietly. "I understand that it was for charity but-"

"You can't just go splurging on people you don't know." Mom said with a shake of her head.

"Starving children could use that money way more than I could." I shrugged and glanced down at my phone to check the time.

"You blew half of what we gave you in one day! If you weren't aimlessly spending you might actually have enough to make you look presentable." Renee snapped her eyes wide as she smacked her menu down.

"Oh pity, I only have two million to look like an overdressed asshole?" I gasped. "Whatever will I do?"

"Watch your language." Dad grunted quietly.

"It's reasons like this we had to change your trust fund." My mother said lowering her voice and looking around the room of snooty old people.

"Just tell me what you did." I huffed, feeling like a child as they gave me withering looks.

"You'll receive your trust fund after you get married. Until then you'll get one hundred a month." My eyes widened as I looked to my father.

"We're hoping your husband will be more responsible than you." I honestly couldn't give less of a shit about the money, but the fact that they want me to be supervised by a man pissed me off.

"What if I never get married?" I challenged.

"Then you die on the salary of a school teacher." Renee said simply. Don't get me wrong, teaching was great and all but the salary… it wasn't that great, especially where I was. I was at the bottom of the salary teacher, being new.

"This is ridiculous!" I looked to my dad and he dropped his eyes to the menu.

Letting mom do all of the talking, as always.

"I thought you didn't need our money." My mother said coolly.

"I don't, but-" Okay, I lied. I did care a little about the trust fund. I wanted to live like everyone else, make my own way. But it was kind of scary that I had nothing to fall back on until marriage.

"Then there won't be a problem." She shrugged, holding up her money and cutting our conversation short. My face flushed angrily and my stomach twisted.

"So basically you trust a stranger to handle your money more than you trust your own daughter?" I winced, saddened by the concept.

"We want you to be responsible. And not a stranger, your husband." Charlie said clearing his throat and peeking over at my mother before yanking his tie loose and slipping it over his head.

"Who none of us have met yet?" I lifted an eyebrow and he shoved the tie into my bag.

"What about the Cullen boy?" My mother said, rejoining the conversation. She looked almost sarcastic as she said the words, but there was an undertone of sincerity as well.

"What? Edward? Mom…"

"Renee, they're just friends." Charlie said as I pulled my purse back onto my lap. He was one of the few people that actually understood Edward and I.

"He could help you." Mom said nodding toward me suggestively.

"I won't use Edward because you guys are…" I huffed and left it at that. "You know what? I'm leaving." I gave them a curt nod and scooted my chair out a little, only to have it pulled out the rest of the way by a server. I gasped in shock, because I hadn't seen him approach, and thanked him again.

"Isabella, where do you think you're going?" Renee asked snapping at the boy who pulled my chair out again. All eyes were on me as I shook my head and headed for the door.

Lauren sneered at me as I exited the patio and I flipped her off. I stomped to my car and ripped the door open, throwing my purse in. I slid in as well and zoomed out of the parking lot. My phone dinged with a message and I ordered for it to read the message to me as I drove.

"Message from Mom_: Try and control yourself. You're embarrassing the whole family._" I rolled my eyes and slowed down for a stop light. When I was stopped I picked the phone up and sent back "_Sorry my husband isn't around to control everything I do._" I set the phone up on the holder again and took off, speeding toward the school.

The damn thing dinged again, "Message from Mom: _Don't throw a fit, Isabella._" I turned off my notifications and pushed forty five in the thirty so I could get to the school on time. I was out of the car before it was fully parked and hauling ass up the steps. I grabbed the door right before it locked automatically and smiled.

At least my luck seemed to be improving.

I hurried through the brightly decorated halls to the small conference room and opened the thick wooden doors. The bland room was decorated with a few pictures from the art wing. I looked around the room full of teachers, familiar and not and tried to forget that shit with my mother. I smiled and quietly took a seat at the long wooden table between Tammy Kasich, the art teacher and Donald Blair the gym teacher.

"Hey, Bella." Tammy smiled and patted my shoulder. I turned to smile at her and her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay?" She whispered and I nodded.

"I'm fine, thanks." We were called to attention as the principle left his office and entered the conference room. He shut the door behind himself and took a seat at the head of the table.

"Hello, everyone." He sighed, opening his suit jacket. "I'm extremely saddened to have to tell you all that we are going to have to let you go. We went through some recent budget cuts and can't afford to keep you on payroll." I gasped and my heart fell to the pit of my stomach. The room erupted with distraught voices and panicked gasps. Tammy turned to me with wide, disbelieving eyes and I turned away, looking around the rest of the room.

I should have realized something was going to happen as soon as I walked in. The room was filled with extracurricular teachers and Language teachers, like myself. Instead I'd been knocked on my ass with shock.

"We ask that you have your rooms packed by Christmas break." He continued to the distraught group. "We'll have to make some quick changes to accommodate the new dearth." I fixed my eyes on the table in disbelief. How the hell could they just fire a quarter of the staff mid-year? It couldn't be happening.

This was a day from hell.

I picked up my hand and pinched it roughly, jumping when I didn't wake up. I sat through the rest of the meeting in complete shock, not registering anything else the man said until I was on my way out of the door, along with the rest of the newly unemployed crowd.

"Bella? Are you going to be alright?" Alice asked as she left her classroom. She hadn't attended the meeting; she just enjoyed using her weekends to spice of her classroom. Her husband Jasper was in the back hanging up banner, as he always did when she wanted something in her room to be higher than she could reach. Jasper was almost a foot and a half taller than his wife. He was probably the nicest guy I've ever met and he turned at Alice's words.

"Um…" I furrowed my eyebrows and ran my fingers through my hair. "No." Jasper crossed the room to stand next to Alice, furrowing his eyebrows.

She came closer, taking in the crying and upset faces around me as they left the building. "Come here." She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the classroom, closing the door behind her.

"It'll be alright, Bella." Jasper whispered, picking up my hand and patting it.

"What happened?" Ali whispered guiding me to an extremely short plastic chair. The three of us folded ourselves into the chairs.

I whimpered, "They just laid us off… All of us."

/-_~_-/

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	5. Chapter 4

"The Notebook." I grimace flipping the cover to the back and reading it. I quickly grow bored of reading and just put the damn thing in. I sat on the couch and watched the first few previews of the movie before the home screen came on. I picked up the remote and pressed play before wiping the snot off of my nose. As soon as the title lingered on the screen there were five quick knocks at the door.

"Who is it?" I questioned, not moving an inch.

"Edward, now get up." He sighed with another knock. I wiped my nose once more and crossed my ankles.

"I'm not in the mood."

"Good thing I'm not trying to fuck you. Get the damn door, Bella." He said before knocking loudly again.

"Go away."

"I'll make your neighbors think poorly of you." He threatened weakly. I rolled my eyes and fast forwarded through the movie I had no interest in.

"Edward, go away." I yelled, pulling out a tissue and wiping at my eyes.

"I'm not joking." He said seriously.

"Oh yeah, I'm so worried about my neighbors opinion of me-" I rolled my eyes until his voice rose to a scream.

"_Did you think I was never going to see the tests, Bella?!" _My eyes widened as he continued on. _"They call everyone you've been involved with!" _I jumped up and over the back of the couch, tripping over my blanket on the way. _"Gonorrhea, Bella? Really?! You couldn't have tried to get something classier? I mean-_" I ripped the door open and yanked him in by the collar. My face lit up as I noticed my older neighbor Katrina staring at us in horror.

"Sor- eh, whatever." I sighed in her direction, I wasn't quite sure if Katrina could speak, after living here for years I'd never heard a word.

"Edward!" I sniffled shutting the door on the nosy woman. "Why couldn't you just leave me be?" I huffed locking my door. I turned and gasped when I saw he was much closer than I expected.

"Cause you need me, babe." He leaned down and wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing me to him tightly. I sighed and sniffled into his shoulder while simultaneously taking in that beautiful scent that was just _him._

"Ugh." I said despite the immense comfort I felt in his arms. That is, until he lifted the back of my shirt and pressed something icy onto the skin there. I arched away from the object and pushed my body closer to his.

"I brought ice cream!" He laughed before dropping a kiss on my forehead and moving away from me. "So now you can sit-" He leaned down and scooped me up, tossing me over his shoulder.

"Why…?" I moaned as he carried me across the apartment. I wasn't in the mood to be playful, or flirt… I just wanted to cry, or maybe get drunk.

That's a good idea…

"-And you can tell me who upset you and where they live, so I can get my bat." He said before falling back onto the couch and twisting me so I sat in his lap right before I face planted. I gasped at the near miss and clung to him for a second.

"Right now you're upsetting me." I frowned, scooting off of his lap and turning to lay just my head in his lap.

"I brought ice cream." He reminded me, holding a pint of mint chocolate chip over my face. I reached for my favorite ice cream and he moved it away. He held it just out of my reach and tapped his cheek with his pointer finger. I leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth so he'd give up the goods.

"I love you." I whispered, taking the ice cream and popping off the top.

"I know." He started to run his fingers through my hair before looking at the tv. "Is this The Notebook?" His eyes lit up as he watched the redhead chick smile onscreen.

"Yeah…" I huffed as I licked at the top of the ice cream, wiping my nose when I stuck my head in too far.

"You're kinda gross, babe." He laughed, shifting to the side and pulling out a plastic spoon. "You don't have to rough it."

"I'm preparing for the rest of my life." I whimpered dramatically, pushing away the spoon.

"What happened?" He asked, brushing my bang to the side before playing with my hair.

"I was laid off." I said softly, sticking my face into the carton.

"What?! Why?"

"They're downsizing. Nobody needs _Language Arts_ teachers anymore. Just like they don't want art and gym teachers…" I groaned. "I'm the forty seven percent." I whined.

"Bella, what the hell are you talking about?" He chuckled and I shrugged.

"This sucks, why is everything changing so much?"

"Baby, you'll get another job-"

"I don't adjust well to change, Edward. We both know that." My face crumpled and I turned in to his stomach. "I just lost my _job._"

"Well, that just means it's a new start for you, Baby. The one you've been wanting." I looked up into those bright green eyes of his and he smiled.

I pouted and he tapped my lip. "I don't want change. I want a job…"

"Work for me." He shrugged.

"You're an architect." I said unnecessarily, he nodded. "What the hell am I going to do with a teaching degree working in architecture?"

"I don't know, but people work in other fields all the time. You can be my personal assistant. I'll pay you better than that shitty job did anyway. And we don't have to eat cafeteria food either." He reached out and trailed his fingers up my side making me giggle and squeal.

"Edward… I told you I want to make things work on my own." I said, writhing away from his fingers.

"Everyone needs help every once in a while, honey. We could even get you out of this shithole." He said pursing his lips as he looked around the room. I scowled up at him. The place was no Cullen Mansion, but it wasn't horrible. I worked for my own keep and I was doing okay.

"I don't need your handouts though-"

"It's not a handout." He rolled his eyes.

"It is."

"Look, you want to be normal, right?" He asked watching as I nodded slowly. "Normal people get off of their asses and tear fests, and go look for other work. They also understand good opportunities when they come."

"Or they turn into alcoholics."

"That too… But I think we both know you aren't much of a drinker." He swept his thumb over my forehead. "Normal people need help too, Bella. Spoiled, self righteous rich girls try and break off with no help; they just come crawling back though, baby."

"Good talk, bud. Why don't you punch me in the stomach and tell me my puppy was hit by a truck too?"

"I don't mean to offend you," He whispered his eyes glued to the television. "if you don't want the job you can at least dip into your trust so that you can keep this shithole running…"

"Stop calling my home a shit hole!" I huffed and he gave me a withering look. "It has running hot water, electricity, heat and AC just like your place."

"Yeah but my house his cold water too, electricity in all of the rooms. It's also equipped with a heater and Air conditioner that don't get confused as to when they should come on." I rolled my eyes, it wasn't _that _bad. Sure, the bathroom didn't run cold water, the electricity in my bedroom was a little shaky and sometimes my AC and heater had some technical difficulty, but I was fine where I was.

"It doesn't matter. I gave away half of my trust fund anyway." He gaped at me and I shrugged. "It was for starving children. I'd rather them have the money than me."

"Well, that's only half… you have- what two million left?"

I nodded, "But after I 'splurged on kids I didn't know'-" I used air quotes for my mother's words, "they banned me from all but one hundred a month until I'm married. They think a man will help me 'manage money better'. I don't even want their money..." I sighed, reaching up and grabbing his hand, linking our fingers and setting his hand on my stomach.

"It just upsets you that they don't trust you?" I nodded, not even shocked by his accurate surmise. After over two decades of knowing him, it was kind of expected.

"They suck." I said petulantly.

"It's okay, babe. You've always got me. I'm all you need." He said nonchalantly, still staring at the screen. I let my eyes trail over the underside of his jaw and down his neck in awe. It was kind of ridiculous that everything about him was so ridiculously attractive, especially after knowing him for so long.

"You can say that again." I sighed, turning so that I looked at the television too.

"I love this part." The characters were sitting in a boat as Ryan Gosling paddled. I sighed as I watched the shit movie. Of course this would be Edward's favorite movie; the boy was twelve different kinds of weird.

Speaking of…

"That's where it came from!" I said with a start as I sat up. "This is your movie. Take it back, I don't want that shit in my house ever again." I picked up the DVD remote and hit the eject button. The ghetto-ass player shot the disc across the room, it landed on the floor next to the couch, skidding under it.

"What the hell, babe?" He shot off of the couch to retrieve the disc and I lay back down in the spot he'd vacated.

"Sorry,"

"It's all good. It didn't scratch." I sat up again when he returned and he pulled me into his side, running his hand down my arm.

"Well, I think you should seriously consider working for me. You could be my naughty secretary." He winked and I sighed.

"Your dad would _not_ approve of you handing out jobs willy nilly for his million dollar company."

"Billion, babe."

"That's even worse. Anyway…"

"Pop Cullen loves you, baby. Maybe if I offer you a job he'll back off on my proposing for a while." He chuckled and I did too, burying my face in his chest.

"Ugh… If I hear one more thing about marriage, I'm going to shoot you in the foot."

His voice rose an octave, "What? Why _my_ foot?!"

"I need mine…" I explained like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Okay, no more marriage." He held out his pointer finger and I locked mine around it. It was something we'd came up with in middle school after deciding pinky swearing was too main stream.

"Let's just cuddle."

"And if it comes to pity sex…" He tilted his head to the side and I huffed.

"I'll junk punch you." I said lifting a fist. He caught my wrist with his opposite hand and pulled my arm around his waist so that I ended up smashed to him again.

"I kind of need my junk, sorry, babe. Caressing only." I rolled my eyes and he leaned his head against mine. "And I think we both know you're always allowed to give me a little lovin."

"I just lost my job and essentially almost every penny to my name and _you_ need loving? If anything, I'm the one that needs loving." He nodded and gripped my outer thigh, pulling it until I straddled his waist. I sighed and he slid his hand behind me so that they rested dangerously low on my back.

"I can do that." He said seriously, his green eyes darkening as he looked up at me. He leaned forward and kissed my neck, much like he did in Tanya's driveway. I bit my lip and he gripped my hair, not hard enough to hurt me but just enough to tilt my head to the side. I ran my fingers through his hair as he laid a sensual open mouthed kiss on my skin.

"I don't need your pity sex…" Nor did I need his pity job offer, but at the rate we were going, I was subject to accept both.

"Okay, well I've got more than pity. I have a whole archive of different sex I can give you." He smiled playfully at me and I grinned back, tilting my head down to rest my forehead against his. "I love you, babe. Everything will be alright." He pecked my lips and hugged me to him. I pushed my face into his neck and took a deep breath.

"I hope so."

"Here, lay down." He pushed me backwards a bit, his hands still bracing my hips as he shuffled around on the small couch until we were both laying down, him behind me. He pulled me back against his chest and I let my eyes flutter shut, just relishing in the comfort being in his arms gave me. After about an hour of watching Allie and Noah flit about the screen in a whirlwind of romance and drama and blah, blah, blah… Anyway, the movie quickly coaxed me into a coma like state until Edward dropped a kiss on my head.

"I love you." He whispered, tightening his grip around me. I furrowed my eyebrows and patted his hand.

"I love you too, Edward." I whispered as his rhythmic breathing lulled me to sleep.

"I found out how... Uh..." I tried to pull myself out of the deep, suffocating sleep that was pulling me under.

"Bella?" My eyes drifted closed and his finger tip trailed up my side, leaving a tingling wake, until he'd reached the crook of my arm.

"I found out what happened." He whispered before tickling me. I would have shot off the couch, had he not been there, holding me to his chest.

"Edward," I huffed quickly growing impatient with his beating around the bush. "Just tell me." I had no fucking clue what he could have been talking about, and he was quickly losing me.

"She had my phone bugged." He blurted, I adjusted my head on the pillow and pulled the blanket up to my chin.

"Edward, I swear, if you don't just spit it out." I pushed my hips back into his, my eyes shooting open when I felt his hardness. I tried inconspicuously to move away but his hand splayed over my hip, keeping me in place.

"Tanya..." He breathed into my hair. I froze and my eyes widened.

"Um..." I gasped incredulously, I pushed his hand away and he kissed my shoulder. "You're horrible."

"Tanya had my phone bugged on prom night." I felt a little dumb for my reaction as he finished his sentence. "She was always had a little crazy side to her and she had me traced. But that's how she found us, see I told you I never told anyone." I skeptically melted back into him and he rubbed my hip.

"Traced?" I said, disbelief coloring my words.

"Her father's business is one of the largest spyware producers in the States." He shrugged.

"So?"

"So I'm sure somewhere along the way she learned how to bug a phone." He huffed.

"I thought it was like... Spyware for computers!" I gasped. "Like FBI people use Denali stuff?!" He chuckled at me, trailing a finger down my cheek.

"Yeah, but she'd traced my calls and talked to everyone I did."

"And how'd you find this out?" I asked turning in his arms to face him, our chests smashed between us.

"Lauren, she cracks under any kind of pressure." I lifted an eyebrow. "You don't want to know." He laughed, kissing my forehead.

"Edward... Did you pay her?"

"Not really..." We locked eyes and I held contact until he glanced away.

"Please don't tell me you let her take a ride on your disco stick." I shook his shoulder and her chuckled.

"I'm not much of a Lady Gaga fan, babe." He shook his head. "I gave her a little _tip_ for helping me out." He shrugged.

"What kinda _tip?_" I lifted an eyebrow.

"The monetary kind."

"So you paid her."

"Yeah, basically." I smirked and rolled my eyes.

"Thanks, babe." I'm sure he knew I was talking about his finding out what happened, not his paying off Lauren. "It means a lot." I whispered, tapping his chin. He smiled and leaned down, pressing a sweet kiss to my lips.

"Anything for you, dearest."

**I hope you all enjoyed!**

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	6. Chapter 5

"They've got a position open in Seattle. Lincoln High..." I said printing out an application form and tucking my pen behind my ear.

"You've got a Masters degree, you could teach at a community college... They have an opening for a pathophysiology professor." Alice nodded, showing me the computer screen. I bit my lip and furrowed my eyebrows.

"I don't think I should teach anything I've never heard about..." I said shaking my head, she scoffed and put down her coffee cup.

"Are you kidding?! My English Lit. professor graduated with a degree in fashion design. All they want is a degree." I seriously doubted the legitimacy of the college Alice graduated from, good think she had a knack for teaching or there'd be some messed up kindergarteners coming out of Thompson.

My door swung open and the sound of keys hitting my side table made my head snap up.

"What's up, ladies?" Edward asked, sauntering through the door way.

"Job hunting." I groaned, palming my forehead. Edward pursed his lips and kissed my temple before collapsing in the seat next to Alice. Speaking of Alice, she sat staring at Edward as if he were the most gorgeous man on earth.

Which... Was true.

After realizing I was glaring at Alice, Edward turned to her and winked, making her blush and snap her gaze back to the computer. As much as she tried to fight it, Alice was just as taken with Edward, as everyone was.

"You're lucky you're attractive." She mumbled under her breath.

"Speaking of desperate guess who called today." Edward said leaning forward and turning that gorgeous gaze on me.

"Who was talking about desperate?" Alice asked, back to her normal self now that she was released from his unintentional lusty stare. I don't think he could control the raw sex he exuded some times.

"Who called?" I asked turning back to my notepad of phone numbers I needed to call to set up interviews.

"Tanya Denali. She left a drunken voicemail about my magic cock-" Alice mock gagged and we ignored her. "Then she told me to find her when I was done messing with the-" His eyes widened, and he caught himself. "you." I scowled, wondering why he was telling us all of this.

"The Bella?" Alice asked, raising an accusatory eyebrow.

"The Prude," I rolled my eyes before narrowing them at Edward. "Do you call me that behind my back too?" I hissed. 'The Prude' was what Tanya and the rest of her skank gang called me when we were in school. She told me it wasn't supposed to be mean, it was just an easier way to refer to me. Then after the prom incident _I _was referred to as 'The Skank', but again, that wasn't a bad thing. Apparently my old friends weren't mature enough to move past the juvenile nickname phase.

"Of course not. I know you're no prude." He winked and Alice's mouth dropped open.

"If she goes home with you, make sure you find a way to get her home without me knowing." I bit with way more venom than I'd expected. Alice nudged my calf with hers and gave me a sympathetic smile. Edward's eyes, meanwhile, were as wide as they could go.

"You were pissed about that? I didn't fuck her." He shrugged, I nodded, feeling stupid as I looked to my computer. I had no right to be upset about Edward's sexcapades. He wasn't mine to be upset about.

"Babe," his finger slipped under my chin and he lifted it so I met his eyes. "I didn't."

"It's none of my business." I whispered, he searched my eyes for a second before his own locked on my lips. I lifted a hand and snapped, making him jump.

"What is the significance of Tanya calling?"

"Oh, I'm just done with her…" His eyes flicked to mine and away quickly. "It's too much shit, and you two don't get along."

"You're just going to give up on her because _I _don't like her?" I lifted an eyebrow and he shrugged.

"You know what? I'm done wasting time with flings and hot one night stands. I'm gonna get serious." He decided abruptly, sitting back in his chair and linking his fingers together. "Alice," he turned as she snapped out of her ogling. "wanna go steady?" She blushed and shook her head, flashing him her wedding ring.

As much as I realized he was joking, I really wanted those words, albeit slightly outdated, to be directed my way.

Edward reached around the tiny table and grabbed the leg of my chair, pulling me next to him.

"If you say yes, I'll throw in a gorgeous Bella for you."

"Pretty much the ultimate package." I nodded, inwardly screaming and outwardly blushing at the compliment. We both beamed angelically at her and she snorted before shaking her head.

"Uh, no. Thanks."

"Apparently her husband and kids are more important than us." He pouted, turning back to me. Alice furrowed her eyebrows at the mention of her nonexistent children.

"Blasphemy." I mock pouted right back at him.

"Well, Alice, you should probably go now." I rolled my eyes and slapped Edward's shoulder. "The sting of rejection is forcing me to goad Bella into licking my wounds." He shook his head and hooked his arms under my legs before standing and lifting both of us, tossing me over his shoulder.

"No, I need to work-" I slapped his ass.

"You're unemployed, what could you be working on?" Alice sucked in some air between her teeth and I smacked the small of his back. The nonchalance of his tone made me seethe.

"Get out!" I yelled, wiggling on his shoulder. "You're such a dick!"

"We'll pick this up tomorrow." Alice said shaking her head as she packed up.

"I need your help!" I whined, using my hands to push against Edward's back so that I was almost upright.

"Tomorrow." She said with a short wave.

"Not necessary. She's going to be working for me, but thanks, Alice."

"No, I'm not, now put me down and you get out too!" He shook his head, nuzzling my exposed stomach. As soon as my apartment door closed I was flung onto the couch, before Edward's body covered mine.

"I was serious about you licking my wounds." He said, settling between my legs and lifting one of my legs and hitching it over his.

"As was I about you leaving." I groaned, arching my back to get him off of me. He moaned as my breasts pressed against his chest, as I bit my sigh down.

"You help me, I'll help you." I scowled at him and he smiled, his green eyes twinkling mischievously. "You can start here." He pointed to his neck and eyed my own. "Let me show you how it's done."

He ducked his head and I groaned, "I'm assuming that as some point you're going to want me to suck your dick, are you going to demonstrate that too?"

"I wouldn't think otherwise." He said rubbing his hips into mine. "You see, the anatomy is very different, the technique, quite the same." We both rolled our eyes at his words. He surprised me by dipping his head and nipping my neck.

Friends don't do that.

But Edward does.

And damn if it didn't make me want to hump his face.

"You aren't gonna get with this, because your FWB is a raving, sexually demented, stalker." I said wrinkling my nose. He hummed into my neck and fingered the bottom of my shirt.

"What would get you to help me out?" He whispered, trailing his nose up my cheek.

A flick of a button.

"Oh I don't know," I shrugged, "you could try out that accent."

"It's not an accent, Isabella. It's a way of life." As much shit as I'd given him, the accent was flawless, sending tingles down my spine. The way my name rolled off of his tongue made my heart skip a beat. "You look wondrous today, ducky-" I giggled at the name and he smiled, sitting up and pulling me with him. He tossed my legs into his lap, pulling me in until my ass touched his leg.

"One day, I shall take you to London, love. Then you'll be able to see my delightful home and birth place." Even though he wasn't dry humping me anymore he still extremely close me.

"Yeah?"

"And maybe by then, you'll be open to some proper English lovin'." He put his forehead to my temple and I giggled.

"Don't hold your breath." I pursed my lips and he rolled his eyes leaning back against the couch.

"Two rejections in one day. That's a first." He deadpanned, though it was true. His phone rang and he scrambled to pick it up. "Oh hey..." He showed his teeth and gave me a wide eyed, panicked look. I shrugged, I didn't know her name. "Beautiful?" There was a feminine giggle on the other end of the line and I rolled my eyes. The random girl babbled in his ear for a while and he winced.

"Yeah," he kissed my forehead and gave me an apologetic frown. "Of course I didn't forget, I can't wait to see you... Cutie." She giggled again and I pulled my legs from his lap, my heart sinking a bit as I watched him stand. He covered the speaker and looked at me, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You don't remember her name do you?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"Hey, I remember yours, that's all that matters." A smirk tugged at his lips and he pointed over his shoulder. "Do you mind if I...?" My door opened and in stormed Alice. When Edward saw her he used that time to end the call with his flavor of the night.

"Left my phone!" She called walking past us to the kitchen.

"Do I mind if...?"

"If I go?" He jerked a thumb towards the door and I shook my head even though I wanted to pull him down and never let him go.

"Of course not, just use a condom." I said with a roll of my eyes. Of course I wanted him to. "Oh and stick to the nickname thing if you never remember her real name."

"I can stay with you, if you'd like." He shrugged moving to sit down.

"Go." I sighed, regret flowing through me.

"Look, you're much more important than her anyway. I can stay-"

"Edward, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He asked putting a hand on my thigh.

I reached up and patted his cheek. "Positive." Lie. He nodded and leaned in, kissing my forehead before searching my eyes again and then standing.

"Bye." He said softly, turning and grabbing his jacket. I waved and he disappeared. As soon as the door closed Alice was at my side, pursing her lips. I pouted up at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Are you crazy?! He wanted you to stop him!" I rolled my eyes and pulled my legs up, hugging my knees. She knocked lightly on my head. "_Hellooo_?" I moved away from her bony ass knuckle and wrinkled my nose.

"He's getting laid. He wouldn't miss that for the world." I shook my head.

"He would've missed it for you if you hadn't forced him out of the door." She huffed, throwing up her hands.

"You just don't know Edward... He's different."

"Different or not he was a second away from begging you to let him stay." She plopped down next to me and grabbed my chin so that I'd look at her. "He wants you to show interest, Bella!"

"Oh okay. Then I'll do that!" I said, my tone sarcastic. "I'll show him how head over heels I am so he can ignore me and tell me blondes are his type."

"He only dates blondes?" She asked with wide dreamy eyes as she crossed her hands over her heart. "Oh my god."

"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"He only dates blondes and you're brunette." She cooed, batting her eyelashes.

"Um..." I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, failing to see how this was cute in anyway.

"You're his quarter among pennies!"

"Is that, like, a saying…?" I questioned.

"You're special, Bella! Different from all the rest because you're his one and only!"

"Or he's just attracted to blondes..." I rolled my eyes and she gasped.

"No! Bella, these are all the signs you need! They're looking you dead in the face and saying "Relationship come hither!"" She said putting one hand on her chest and extending the other arm.

"There is no relationship. We tried," he took my virginity, "it didn't work."

"Trying in high school is a lot different than trying in your mid-twenties." She rolled her eyes. "Go for it! You should make him come back and claim your undying love for him." I blushed and shook my head.

"How about we wait until tomorrow for that declarations?" She sighed and nodded before patting my thigh.

"I've gotta go, but I'll see you later, Bella." I waved and sighed once she was gone, flopping onto my back on the couch.

_Quarter among pennies…_

-~-/-~-

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	7. Chapter 6

"Come on, you should go out with him ... Get laid, get your cherry popped." Alice said chewing on some of those gross flatbread crackers my mom gave me. Edward snickered and I elbowed him gut. I stood and headed into the kitchen to grab a beer, keeping an eye on Alice and Edward as they lounged around my living room.

"I'm not a virgin." I whispered to her as my cheeks warmed. I picked up the notice lying on my counter from my landlord, I must've passed it on my way in. The notice that told me that my rent was two weeks late. The same notice that told me I needed to be out in under a week if I couldn't get my rent in.

"Bella. Honestly, it's just a date-"

"Fuck." I whispered, biting my lip as my eyes scanned over the small print.

"Excuse me?" Alice gasped; I looked up to see her staring at me with wide eyes. Edward turned in his spot on the couch, his arm slung over the back. He cocked his head to the side and I shook my head, folding the paper back up and sliding it to the top of my counter.

"Mhm," she rolled her eyes, "well I don't see why you don't just give him a chance?"

"Maybe he's after your money?" Edward shrugged reaching for a cracker from Alice.

"Uh, I doubt it. Have you ever seen her bank account?" Alice shook her head. She wasn't quite up to date on the whole my parents being rich thing.

"Oh yeah, I've seen it..." He said, widening his eyes.

_Obviously he hasn't seen it recently._

"Guys..." I sighed, walking over and falling down next to Edward on the couch, he tossed an arm over my shoulder. "I don't have an interest in dating at the moment." Edward nodded along with me.

"You don't need to be dating anyway. Everyone is dissatisfactory anyway." He shrugged.

"And how would you know?" Alice snapped.

"Let's be honest, I'm the best anyone can get... You'll only be disappointed in everyone else." Edward said to me with a blindingly white grin.

"Bella," Alice said slowly, tugging her gaze from Edward to me. "Michael said he was really interested in you."

"Michael doesn't know me." I said furrowing my eyebrows.

"And his name is Michael." Edward said, lifting his eyebrow as he turned his gaze to me. "That would make you Mike and Bella."

"What's wrong with that?" Alice asked, lifting her eyebrow in his direction.

"I think we all know what's wrong with that, Alice." He said wrinkling his nose.

"Edward, don't be rude…" I sighed bumping his shoulder with mine and he shrugged.

"Hey, I'm just helping you out, babe. Show her the picture." He said snapping at Alice.

"Don't tell me what to do, asshole." Alice grunted, pulling out her phone anyway. "He's really nice."

"How do you know him?" I asked as she turned the picture towards me. He was cute, I guess. He had a baby face and bright blue eyes. He was also blonde and just a little out of shape, but I wasn't perfect either.

"We went to school together, then he moved out to Australia, but now he's back." She winked. "And with an accent too." Edward scoffed from next to me and I elbowed him.

"That sounds horrible." He said with a shake of his head. "Imagine waking up to that every morning. _Honey, I'd like some toast please_." He said with a terrible Australian accent, I laughed and Alice curled a lip at him.

"You have an accent." She pointed out.

"But it's a slight accent. And it's British. Much sexier." He winked at her and she huffed.

"Well, Mike isn't nearly as cocky as this one, so that'll give you a much needed break." She said pulling the phone back; Edward held out his hand and rolled his eyes at her.

"Guys, be nice." I said as Alice handed Edward the phone. "He's not that bad looking."

"He looks like a golden retriever." Edward said, turning the phone at a few different angles. I pursed my lips at Edward and he handed the phone back to Alice.

"Nice, huh?"

"He's great, Bella. Don't judge a book by its cover, honey. This picture is a little old anyway."

"Just think, Bella and _Mike._" He contorted his mouth as he mocked an Australian accent again.

"Who are you to judge?" Alice asked testily. For some reason she was inexplicably invested in this guy. I couldn't see her and Edward getting along very well in the future.

"Edward Cullen, best friend and cherry popper of this one." He explained unnecessarily, ending with a nudge to my arm. Alice squinted in confusion and tilted her head to the side. "I _am_ Bella, she's like my spirit animal. I know her, therefore I can judge for her-" He continued but I cut him off, outraged at the first part.

"Edward, what the hell?!" I hissed moving from under his arm. "Unnecessary."

"Cherry popper?" Alice asked shaking her head, still not understanding. Her eyes widened and Edward smiled proudly.

"This is why I don't bring you around my new friends." I sighed.

"You two had sex?" Alice gasped and she kicked my shoe mouthing "nice" behind her hand. I nodded and rolled my eyes.

"I can see… both of you." He said rolling his eyes. "Not that I'm complaining. It _is_ true after all."

"I know the last date didn't go so well, but I think you might like this one!" She said, widening her eyes in that way that made me melt and give in to everything.

"Alice, everyone you've set me up with so far has been _terrible_…" I bit my lip.

"Best you can get." Edward said lifting my hand and placing it on his chest. I pulled away and elbowed him in the side. I pursed my lips as his eyes pierced mine and shook my head.

"Hey if you keep elbowing me, you're going to mar the perfection that is my abdomen." He rubbed his side and I turned to Alice as she started squeaking.

"If it'll help, we can make it a triple date." Alice said clapping. "I can call Jazz!"

"Uh, I'd rather not." I'd tried double dating with Edward before and it only ended with all four of us being pissed at each other. I don't think Edward or I ever talked to our dates after that. That was four years ago, I can't imagine things would be any easier now.

"I don't really think that's going to work out, munchkin." Edward said, moving around me so that his head was in my lap.

"Don't call me that." She said with fire in her eyes. Edward backed up towards me a little and I laughed, running my hand through the silk that was his hair.

"Sorry, sorry… Don't eat me." He said holding up his hands. Alice leaned forward angrily and I sighed.

"Be nice." I pulled on his hair roughly for a second and he pulled away from me.

"Okay, I can sense that I'm about to be ganged up on… And not in the good way." He said, moving onto his feet and backing away from us. "So I'll see you ladies later." He grabbed his jacket from over the arm of the couch.

"Bye." I waved, he blew me a kiss and I caught it before tucking it into my pocket and giving him a sarcastic lovey-dovey smile. He laughed and headed for the kitchen to throw away his beer. The distinct sound of paper rustling made me wonder what the hell he was doing and then he headed out. I turned back to Alice who was intently watching the door. When it closed her eyes locked on mine and a wide smile spread across her face.

"You two are together, aren't you?" Alice gasped, clapping and shooting to her feet, sending the box of crackers skidding into my leg. "This is so exciting!"

"Uh, Alice… We aren't-"

"Don't even try and play me. If it looks like a couple, sounds like a couple and acts like a couple it's probably not a bucket."

"It's probably just an overactive imagination." I said shaking my head and picking out my glass and the box of crackers. I headed into the kitchen and she was hot on my heels.

"You've had intercourse-" She said, ticking off things on her fingers. I shivered at the word and set down the glasses in the sink.

"Just say sex, or fucked or something…" That word was just, _ugh._

"Okay you've fucked, you are together twenty four seven and you're both head over heels for each other… If that isn't a relationship, I don't know what is."

"We aren't _in_ love, Alice." I said shaking my head looking down at my empty counter. I traced my fingers over the smooth surface and furrowed my eyebrows.

_Something was missing…_

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love him."

"Of course I love him," I rolled my eyes. "He's my best friend." I turned on the water, wetting the dish rag and cleaning out the wine glasses.

"Okay, than tell me you _don't_ have feelings for him past that." She said lifting her eyebrows. I bent my head forward, letting my hair serve as a curtain as I bit my lip. I didn't want to lie to her and say that I didn't, I've kind of always had feelings for Edward. I also didn't want to tell the truth because then she'd just be another person trying to force Edward and I on each other.

"It's complicated."

"You want to fuck him?" She asked, as if uncontrollable loins proved to be a good detector of feelings.

"Alice…"

"Yes or no?"

"Have you seen the man? Yes. God…" I rolled my eyes as my cheeks flamed up.

"Could you have his children?"

"It's biologically possible, I guess."

"Yes or _no._"

"This is a weird question, I'd like another."

"If he proposed to you, what would you say?"

"He wouldn't propose to me." I shook my head.

"If he did?"

"He wouldn't!" I snapped, setting down the glasses with an angry clink. "Edward isn't interested in me, not at all. There's no reason to even continue with this."

"What? Are you crazy?!"

"You remember when you were a teenager and you a crush on some gorgeous pop star, but deep down you knew he wouldn't go for you, because you aren't pretty enough, or rich enough, or cool enough? That's what it's like with Edward and I."

"Well, the boys of One Direction weren't always all over me, though."

"One Direction? Aren't they like… younger than us now?"

"Barely-"

"Like _seven years…_" Alice was a few years older than me and way older than them.

"But can't I have an unrealistic crush in my twenties too?"

"Do whatever you want."

"Bella, you have a bigger chance than you realize. I bet if one of you would get off of your asses and like… I don't know, propose, the other would jump all over it."

"Not only is he not interested in me, but we were kind of born to get married. Or at least that's what it seems like, our parents are shoving it down our throats and that makes everything a little less appealing."

"I'm telling you, you shouldn't let that hold you back. You're perfect for each other." She nodded watching me walk across the kitchen. "And you can always test him… Kiss him or something, see how he reacts."

"We already kiss regularly…" My eyes widened and I rushed to correct myself. "I mean, not like-"

"Ugh, whatever. Just… for the next few days watch him closely, he's into you. Just watch." She waved her fingers and I shook my head, stocking away the shitty crackers.

"I'm not going to even try and delude myself into anything."

"The last thing you'd need to do is delude yourself, Bella. All you need to do is look at the big picture!" She rolled her eyes. "Now either you look into things with Edward or you go on the date with Mike."

"Why do I have to do either? I've gone on just the way I am for over twenty years. Thanks though." I said with another shake of my head. I turned to see her holding up my phone, shaking it slowly so that I'd notice her.

"What are you doing?" I asked with wide eyes.

"I'm being proactive, Isabella." I shuddered at the name and she lifted an eyebrow. "The only way to find out if Edward is interested is to ask him, since you won't do anything." My heart thudded nervously as I stalked towards her. She took off into my family room and I gasped. The tell-tale sound of my phone unlocking had me hot on her heels.

"Don't you dare!"

"I'm _helping _you!"

"Alice! Don't!"

"Then let me call Michael."

"I'm not interested in Michael!"

"Don't let that asshole talk you out of it." She said holding the phone behind her back. "I know the accent is convincing, but-"

"But what?" I asked.

"It's probably fake anyway." She said in exasperation.

"His whole family is from London, Alice. They all have accents."

"Maybe he's adopted and he just has identity issues. He could just have the accent to fit in with his family. Have you ever seen his birth certificate?"

"I have." I lied.

"Really?"

"No."

"Well, here's what I'm saying. Edward doesn't want you to do this date thing because he likes you! I'm telling you!"

"Okay, look." I said holding up my hands. "I will watch Edward or whatever you want. Just, tell Michael I'm not interested and give me my phone back." I said holding out my hand. She grinned and handed it over.

"Good." She said. "I think you'll be pleased."

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	8. Chapter 7

Alice told me to watch him and damn if she wasn't right. Everything he did made me want to diagnose it. It was beginning to drive me crazy and I'd sadly been avoiding him for a day now. It was kind of ridiculous that I didn't see anything. I mean, of course I knew he might have been slightly sexually attracted to me… but I pretty much pinned that as him joking. Now I couldn't help but put a deeper meaning to _everything _he did.

_Everything._

Starting with the fact that he paid my late rent, the late fee and the rent for the next three months.

In cash.

He'd stolen my eviction notice off of my counter and paid it. Of course I found out because my landlord stomped up to my floor in her robe and slippers, forcing a receipt at me and telling me never to be late again. I didn't know how to bring it up. Whether I should be upset because he didn't let me handle it, or happy because he kept me from falling in too deep. Either way, I knew I was thankful and embarrassed.

If I got the job I'd interviewed for, well, _one_ of the jobs I interviewed for the money would be on his doorstep in no time. I'd spent the past few weeks going to interview after interview. AT least half of the jobs I'd interviewed for told me right off the bat I didn't teach the field that they needed me to. Forks Elementary took me on as a part time sub, a pay as you go job. Not only was I a substitute, but it was also part time, meaning I was close to the last to be called in. I took that offer a month ago and had only been called in once. And that was to aide the kindergarten teacher in her half day class. I'd left there with seventy five dollars that day.

My phone started ringing in my palm and I stared at it with wide eyes. The picture of Edward crossing his eyes as he tried to make his unnaturally long tongue touch his nose, popped up and made me giggle.

_Fuck._

"Eh…" I put the phone down and pushed it away from me, I groaned and dropped my resume on the table. I'd only been able to change my clothes, from the interview when my front door slammed shut and I turned to see Edward standing there with his phone at his ear. He said nothing as he turned to lock the door and peel off his coat. I sighed and dropped my head back against the couch, palming my forehead.

"Why are you ignoring me?" He asked coming up behind me, resting his forearms on either side of my head, leaning over me.

I didn't know what to say, my mind was just a whirlwind of questions. "You paid my rent." I blurted before shaking my head.

"You were going to get kicked out." He sighed, pushing my bangs off of my forehead.

"Edward-"

"You can be mad all you want. But I'm glad I saw the letter and that I paid it."

"It's a federal offense to open other peoples mail."

"Not in the UK." He bullshitted.

"Edward!"

"You really can't be mad because I helped out my best friend." He rolled his eyes. "Think of it as getting even."

"With me?! What the hell did I do?"

"You sent in my application for Harvard when I was too chicken shit too. And lo and behold I made it in."

"You didn't go." I frowned, and he shrugged.

"That's old news. Know you owe me an explanation. Why are you ignoring me? Even you wouldn't ignore me over something as stupid as me paying your rent." I winced and shook my head.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, sliding my eyes closed before I started to question why his eyes were so intense and unusually dark.

"Well, I thought you were hurt, so I panicked." He said, his concern evident in his eyes. They flicked up and down my person before he frowned at me.

"You left work to come check on me because I didn't pick up the phone?" I trailed quietly, opening my eyes.

"Like I said, I thought you were hurt. You've never ignored me before."

"I think I have."

"I mean, after Prom, but that was with good reason. I didn't do anything to you this time. Not counting me paying your rent." He kissed the tip of my nose and I let out a sigh. "Or at least I don't think I've done anything… besides that." He was always touching and kissing me, do I look into that? He's been doing it for as long as I remember and I do the same… Fuck my life.

"Well I also took up smoking then too…" He pursed his lips as I spoke. "I'm not smoking now, so I can't be ignoring you."

"That's because I'm like your little nicotine patch." He smiled as he adopted a French accent. "And I'm here again so you don't have time to smoke." I huffed. That fucking habit took me three years to kick, I don't think he's as effective as he assumes. "And you realize your logic is terrible, right?"

"I'm not ignoring you, Babe." I whispered and he furrowed his eyebrows. Technically I didn't lie. Ignorance and avoidance were two different things… weren't they?

"Then what _are_ you doing? I saw you pick up the phone and not answer it." He questioned, pursing his lips.

"I just, needed to think."

"About what?" He asked, lifting that thick eyebrow as he gave me that panty-wetting smirk.

"I don't know…" I frowned and he lifted up a little.

"Are you on your period again?" He asked with wide eyes, as if some kind of terrible illness has started to flare up again. Well, when you think about it… "You want me to get you ice cream, baby?" He asked, trailing a finger up my cheek.

"If you keep gorging me with ice cream every time I'm sad, I'll be too big to cuddle with."

"That just means there will be more of you to love." He grinned making me smile at how fucking cute he was. "And if you'd stop being sad so often, I wouldn't have to stuff you with ice cream."

_If you'd stop being so cute I wouldn't be sad all of the time._

"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows and I slapped my hands over my mouth. "You're sad because I'm cute? Are you sure you aren't on your period?" He smirked and tapped my nose.

"I didn't mean to say that." I whispered.

"I wish I could help, Baby, but this face is a blessing and a curse." He winked. My brain was kicking into overdrive, analyzing every flutter and wink of his eyelashes. Noticing the fact that he only smiles like that for me. Taking in and loving his use of the endearment 'baby'…

The shit was crazy.

"Bella, don't think too hard. You might hurt yourself." He said with wide eyes. "You look constipated." He laughed and I frowned.

"What's got you so twisted up?" He asked, smoothing out the patch of skin between my eyebrows.

"The unknown." I said cryptically, making him break his gaze with me and look up at the ceiling before furrowing his own eyebrows.

"Like the universe?"

"Like you." I blurted, not even bothering to cover my mouth this time.

"What could you possibly not know about me?" He asked brushing my bangs out of my face. His eyes swirled with confusion and I bit my lip, my eyes flicking to his lips. "Oh wait, I like where this is going." He said swiping his tongue over his bottom lip.

And he ruined it.

He bent down to kiss me and I cupped his cheek, keeping him still. "How do you feel about me, Edward?" I wouldn't be able to function with Alice's words, questioning what I didn't know, on my back. There was only one way to find out.

"What do you mean?" He asked, staring at my mouth. I licked my lips self-consciously.

"How do you feel about me?" I asked again and he lifted an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. I trailed my fingernails down his stubbly cheek, smiling at him.

"At the moment? Kind of freaked out." I scowled at him and he gave me a hesitant smile. I sighed and steeled myself, knowing that I was about to have a living tell all. I moved from under his face and turned around on the couch, kneeling so that I faced him.

"Come here."

"Oh god, you're finally going to kill me…" He whined melodramatically. I chuckled and gripped his sweater pulling him to me. Both of his eyebrows shot up as I tilted my head to the said and brought his lips to mine. He was frozen against me, as if we'd never kissed before. Then after a second he gripped my hands and pulled them from his sweater.

"Watch the cardi, babe." I yanked away from him and felt my jaw tick. He stared at me with wide eyes, still holding my hands as his cheeks turned rosy. I wanted to scream as I pushed him away, yanking my hands back.

"Are you serious?!" I huffed, backing farther away from him. There were no words to explain how humiliated I was in that moment. I felt so fucking stupid for even considering what Alice had said.

"I don't really know what happened…" He shrugged, holding his hands out palms up. He really did look honestly confused but who doesn't realize when they're been kissed?

"I kissed you and you were too busy bitching about your cardigan to give a shit!" I huffed, spinning on my heel and stomping towards my bedroom. I shoved the door open and slammed it closed before me, climbing onto my bed and burying my face in my pillows. My heart thudded nervously still and my eyes stung with embarrassment. I wouldn't cry though, I told myself, it was just Edward…

My doorknob jiggled for a second before it squeaked open and Edward entered the room.

"Baby…" He whispered, sounding like he'd been laughing.

"I don't need you to laugh at me." I said into my pillow, almost rolling off the bed as it dipped with his weight. He scooted up next to me and turned on his side, running his fingers through my hair.

"I'm not laughing at you." He attempted to soothe, kissing the side of my head.

"Yes you are."

"Why would I be laughing?"

"Because I'm stupid and naïve." I whispered, moving farther away from him.

"No you aren't." He said softly. "And watch yourself, you're talking about my best friend."

_Friend._

_Friend…_

I had a nagging feeling that that's all we'd ever be. It was probably all we were meant to be, despite what Alice, our parents and everyone else thought.

"I'm like that stupid fifth grader who tries to kiss the boy in high school that babysits her." I moaned, gripping my hair.

"Bella, you caught me off guard… I didn't know what to say." He said

"You weren't supposed to say anything! I was_ kissing you._"

"Fine, let's try again." He said after a second.

"So you can tell me to watch your hair?" I grumbled. "I don't want your pity kiss." I half sneered, lifting my head, he ran his hand down my cheek.

"Why do you always think I'm doing things for you out of pity? I do these things, because I love you." He leaned over and kissed my cheek.

I scoffed and he lifted an eyebrow. "You don't believe me?" He asked sounding a little ticked. He gripped my hips and flipped me over on the bed before settling between my legs. He had fire in his eyes and I lifted an eyebrow, not really sure why it bothered him so much. I mean, he'd blatantly turned me down only minutes ago…

"I love you." He said seriously as his eyes burned into mine. "I've got a wide array of kisses just like my expansive archive of sexes." I rolled my eyes and arched into him, pressing my straining nipples to his chest.

"Yeah, yeah-" He lifted my leg, pressing me closer to him before he cupped my cheek and brushed his lips over mine. When he pulled away for a second I was left light headed. It was too much, the warmth of his hand on my cheek, the tingle and sweetness of the kiss, along with the hardening bulge pinned to my thigh.

"Edward, you don't have to-" I sighed shakily. He shook his head and caressed my cheek, his eyes darkening as he looked into mine.

"I wanted to. I always want to." He smiled, bringing his lips down again and caressing my lip between his. His kiss was like a live wire, sending bolts down my spine and up to my pleasure center…

That's in my brain… By the way…

It sends info down to my cooch too, don't worry she was involved and very excited too.

Edward's tongue swept against my bottom lip and I opened my mouth to him, letting our tongues sweep against each other. He soon withdrew his tongue though and went back to sliding his lips against mine. I swear, I was about to fucking shoot off of the bed I was so full of… energy. He pulled away for a second and I kissed the corner of his mouth, trailing my kisses up his perfect jaw line.

"God, I love you so much… Just…" He sighed in frustration and his jaw ticked against my mouth. Which actually felt weird… but I wouldn't be stupid enough to bring it up.

"Just what?" I whispered, reclining back against the bed again. He shook his head and kissed me deeply again, making my toes curl as butterflies went hard in my stomach. His hand slipped around to my ass and I gasped as he pushed me into his arousal. "Ung…" I whispered, taking his lip between my teeth.

"I brought popcorn and Shrek, Bella! I would have brought a different movie but-" Alice yelled from my front room, scaring the shit out of me. Edward and I quickly broke away from each other, but not quick enough. She gasped and dropped all the shit she was holding as Edward moved off of me. Her big blue eyes almost doubled in size as she stared.

"Oh!" She squeaked, picking up the movie and ice cream before turning and leaving. "I _told_ you!" I felt my cheeks heat up and Edward rolled his eyes before moving back towards me and kissing the edge of my jaw.

"What she tell you?"

"Nothing." I said shaking my head and pecking his lips.

"Well…" He whispered, turning so that he mirrored my position, laying on his back and grabbing my hand. "If that's what you call pity, you can pity me anytime." We sat in silence for a few seconds before I snorted, sending both of us into hysterics.

"Why was it all of a sudden important to kiss me, anyway?" He asked, I turned my head to face him and he did the same.

"I don't know…"

"Don't give me that," He shook his head and pulled our hands up to rest between our hands. "I want the truth, the whole truth-"

"Nothing but the truth?" I helped and he nodded, flattening out our hands before threading our fingers together.

"Nothing but the truth."

/~~/

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	9. Chapter 8

"I don't know… It's dumb and weird." I bit my lip and kissed the back of his hand. "Maybe later. I'm tired."

"Oh stop, we both know you aren't about to sleep."

"I don't think we both know that, because I'm gonna sleep."

"You can't sleep during daylight." He rolled his eyes and pinched my hip. "Tell me, I'm sure it can't be that weird."

"You'd be shocked."

"I don't think I would be."

"What, in your opinion would be the weirdest reason? I bet mine is stranger."

"Um… If you were taking mental measurements of the circumference of my lips so that you could put it into some weird formula to find out how wide my neck is, in case you want to make me a necklace..." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Or hang me…"

"This is awkward because that was pretty much dead on." I lied and he rolled his eyes.

"Tell me."

"I don't want to."

"I'll give you another kiss."

"Okay." I puckered up and closed my eyes, sighing when his soft lips brushed mine. He sighed too, the air ghosting down my neck as he moved away from my lips.

"Now tell me."

"No."

"But I kissed you."

"It was much appreciated, thanks, babe." I winked and he reached over my torso and tickled my sides. My hips bucked off of the bed and I batted his hand away.

"Now you have to tell me though, because we made a deal."

"First of all, I thought you were just offering, and second I'm sure this can be considered prostitution in like five states." Edward glared at me and sat up, moving away from me. I pouted and he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving."

"What? Why?" I sat up too and crawled to the end of the bed on my knees.

"You're being unreasonable." He shrugged and left the room, leaving the door open so I could see him tugging on his coat.

"Don't leave," I held out my arm as if to hug him. "Come back to Mama." He bit his lip to keep from smiling, but his eyes were a complete tell all. He waved and picked up his phone from the coffee table.

"See ya' at work tomorrow, baby." He said walking towards the door. I listened as the door opened and waited to see if it ever closed. He wouldn't be upset enough about my not telling him, to leave me. The door shut and it was silent for thirty seconds before I scrambled to my feet, realizing he really left. I darted around my sparse furniture and jumped into the nearest pair of shoes, pulling on my jacket.

I yanked open my door and slammed it behind me as I took off toward the elevator. I watched the numbers light up as it came to the ninth floor from the first, telling me he'd gone all the way down. I darted into the elevator as soon as the doors opened and rapidly pushed the lobby button. After waiting about a minute in the elevator I shot through the doors and out of the hall, into the rain.

Edward was just getting in his car, shaking out his wet hair when I approached him.

"I wanted to see if I had feelings for you that were past friendship." I said loudly, so that I could be heard over the pelting rain. He looked up at me curiously with furrowed eyebrows before he stepped out and gestured for me to get into the car. I was about to climb over to the passenger seat when he shut the driver's door and walked around the car, his image drowned because of the rain on the windshield.

He sat in the car and slammed his door shut, reaching in the back of the car and grabbing two towels. "And?" He asked, draping a towel over my neck and the other over his. I couldn't read him and that worried me. The look he gave me was one I hadn't seen many times before, but when I did see it, the next thing out of his mouth always shocked me. It was almost inhumanly neutral.

"Well… I do." I bit my lip and he broke out into a smile. "But that kind of means nothing if I'm the only one that feels that way." I said softly as I stared down at my hands. He reached over the console and grabbed my chin, tilting my head up to look at him. He was grinning so brightly that the corners of his eyes crinkled. I involuntarily smiled too, just because seeing him look so happy made me inexplicably overjoyed as well.

"What?" I whispered, just a tiny bit confused. I didn't know whether his smile was because of my being head over heels for him or because my love would beunrequited and that gave him some sick my unexplainable happiness, I was still nervous as fuck. My heart was thudding against my chest and I felt extremely warm, even though it was so cold that the water on me was turning to icicles against my skin.

"Why in the world would you think you were the only one that felt that way?" He asked, leaning toward me. My smile tried vainly to widen, because I was just that happy. I leaned into him too, letting him use the towel around my neck to dry my cheek. I cupped my hand over his on my cheek.

"Really?" I whispered, letting out a gush of air I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Well, I'd be stupid to not have been crazy over you, Bella. Stupid or dead. Obviously I'm niether." He chuckled, drying off the other cheek. I smiled realizing he was taking care of me first, even though water was streaming from his hair down his face. I turned my head slightly to kiss his wrist before grabbing his own towel. He wrinkled his nose adorably as I ran the towel through his hair and then down his face.

"Jeeze, baby, don't break the face. I think we would both miss it if you injure it." He smirked and I ran the towel up his cheeks to dry his ears, giving them a little tug as I did. I giggled as he crossed his eyes and grimaced, before rubbing my own towel over my face harder.

"Truce, truce!" I squealed, dropping his towel into his lap.

"What's wrong, baby? I was just making sure you were nice and dry." He said widening his eyes innocently as he released my towel. "God, you're gorgeous." He sighed, tapping my chin. I rolled my eyes at the sincerity in his voice. There was no way I looked even close to attractive after that rain. I may look like a drowned rat, but not gorgeous.

"Don't roll your eyes, it's true." He said leaning over to press a kiss to my cheek. "So… Are we going to make this a thing?"

"Sorry I don't commit on the first date." I said, sucking air in through my teeth and wincing. "Sucks to suck."

"Sucks to suck? What are we? In high school?" I shoved his shoulder and he chuckled. "Seriously, though…"

I bit my lip and tried to quell my excitement. "Eh, maybe. I'll need to think about it. Maybe have one last romp with some of my booty calls before I commit."

"You know, I was actually thinking about that too…"See, I was joking but it became a little less funny when he reached into the console between us and pulled out a little, leather bound book. I plucked the book from his fingers and flipped through the pages. I pursed my lips when I realized this was his agenda that he had me copy word from word. I lowered the book to see him silently snickering at me.

"That's not funny… I was about to say…" I said tossing the book back to him. He laughed and mindlessly flipped through it as his eyes bore into mine.

"That's what you get for being a smartass, babe." He chuckled before sobering up quickly. "So that's it?" He asked. "We're a couple now…" He wrinkled his nose at me and I shoved his shoulder.

"Let's just say we're lovers now. I think that sounds better, more risqué." I suggested and he nodded.

"Can we make out now?" He asked juvenilely, I pursed my lips. I just wanted to be completely sure about a few things, then we could make out to our hearts content.

"Wait, we're exclusive, right?" He rolled his eyes and nodded and I lifted an eyebrow. "I just wanted to make sure. I've made that mistake before."

"True… When are we going to tell our parents?" He asked, leaning in closer to me.

"We can tell your parents whenever. My parents… we should probably wait on. You know how my mom is." He nodded and kissed my cheek.

"I do." He slid his fingers into my wet hair and I bit my lip. "If you keep doing that, I won't be able to kiss you." I immediately released my lip and leaned towards him, kissing him passionately. I felt my entire body shoot off like a live wire and I'd never felt better."I'm glad you finally came to your senses." He teased. "Now I can kiss you whenever I want." He said, his smile lighting up the car.

"Whenever." I agreed, placing kisses on his jaw and down his neck. My left hand rested on his thigh and he pushed it up just a little higher.

"Even when I piss you off?" He asked, his eyes glinting jovially. I bit the inside of my cheek and narrowed my eyes as I trailed the tip of my finger over his cock through his pants.

"Why don't you try not to piss me off?" I asked with a roll of my eyes.

"Because you're hot when you're angry, and you're so easy to piss off." He smirked and kissed me again, resting his hand on my hip. I rolled my eyes and he slid his hand under my shirt.

"Well, you aren't spectacular in the patience department are you?" I asked pushing his hand down. I inwardly snickered at my hypocrisy as I palmed him over his jeans.

"Bella, I have amazing patience, but I really just want to touch you now…" He groaned, sliding his hand back up my shirt, and cupping my breast with a lifted an eyebrow. "We got past this upstairs anyway." He said leaning into me and meeting my lips again.

"You're lucky I love you, or you'd be missing a hand right now." I whispered against his soft mouth. He smiled in response and I arched into his hand as he trailed his thumb over my nipple. "Come upstairs." I whispered, pulling back from him. He nodded and was out of his door before I got mine open. As soon as I stepped out of the car he lifted me off of my feet, I shrieked and immediately wrapped my legs around his waist.

"You remember when I was talking about my various kisses earlier?" I nodded and his eyes twinkled happily, despite the downpour soaking both of us. "I think kisses in the rain are my best." I chuckled and cupped his face in my hands, pulling his lips to mine.

**/-/~/-/**

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	10. Chapter 9

"Bella, I'm here!" Edward screamed. My wide eyes shot to the bathroom door and I wiped before flushing the toilet. I rushed to wash my hands and ripped open the bathroom door in time to hear that he'd started ranting.

"_Babe, I'll do anything_!" I was hoping that maybe this time we'd gone through a breakup, but no such luck. "_I just need the fix! I'll sleep with you again! You liked it last time and you have the best stuff in town! I don't even care about the wide array of diseases housed in your vagina! Oh god, I'm shaking!" _I heard a thump and narrowly avoided smacking into a wall.

I ripped open the door to see him on his knees shaking violently. "Get in the damn house, Edward." I huffed and he walked in on his knees, hugging my legs.

We'd been together a little under a week and he was still regularly scaring the shit out of my neighbors. Besides that little fact, he was still just as perfect as usual. It was amazing that we hadn't gotten awkward with each other. But then again it was Edward we're talking about.

Edward doesn't do awkward.

"Thank you, baby…" His feet were still in the way of the door, so I couldn't shut it. Katrina stood in her doorway as always, watching the show she regularly got. "Oh god, I'm yours, just give me a fix." He moaned, sitting back long enough to pull his long sleeved shirt over his head. Katrina lifted a lusty eyebrow at my boyfriend's naked back and I scowled at her. Edward went for my zipper and I gasped, batting away his hands and kicking the door until it shut.

"They're going to call the cops on me if you don't stop." I said raising an amused eyebrow. He rolled his eyes and stood to his full height, standing over me.

"That's okay, we both know you've got the po-po in your pocket." He smirked. I nodded, my eyes roaming up his chiseled chest before stopping and shaking my head.

"No, _my parents_ have the po-po in their pockets." I rolled my eyes and he grabbed my waist, pulling me against his warm, rock hard chest. "Put on your shirt, I can't focus." I said honestly, running my fingers up his chest until I brushed my fingers over his nipple. It really wasn't a well-kept secret that I wanted to hump his face on the daily but with the shirt off I was useless. It took all I had not to just get on my back and spread my legs.

"Or you can take yours off and we can both be in the same state of distraction." His fingers sly snuck under my hoodie and he yanked it over my head. I gasped as the cold air met my torso.

"Damn I was hoping you weren't wearing a bra." He said, lightly snapping one of the straps against my shoulder. "We can remedy that though." Before I registered his words the clasp of my bra was undone and it was letting my boobs do their thing.

"Well, hello to you too, Edward." I said pulling my bra back up as he ogled my chest. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Much better after that, baby." He said, picking me up and carrying me into my bedroom. I fused my lips to his, wanting nothing more but to take advantage of him in any and every way possible. By the time we reached the bed my bra was off and he was staring.

"You're definitely a boob man." I laughed, putting my hand over his and pulling our joined hands up to my tit. I laced out fingers together on the smooth flesh and started to kneed myself.

"Oh my god…" He whispered, ducking his head to lap at my other nipple. I ran my free hand through his hair and over his back, groaning as he bit my nipple. My nails dragged up his back as I let out a gasp, arching into his mouth. Little jolts of pleasure ran up my spine as he teased me and I hooked my leg over the back of his thigh so I could get leverage and buck into his hip.

He licked around my nipple slowly and looked up at me from underneath his eyelashes. My jaw dropped at the pure sex that shone in his eyes and my essence rushed out between my thighs. I moaned at the minimal amount of friction Edward was allowing me.

"God, you're gorgeous." He whispered, sitting back on his knees. The sight of him was almost too much for me to handle as his muscles rippled with every move he made, making me want to pay every muscle he had some love. His dark green eyes were half lidded as he looked down at me.

"I can't believe we missed out on eighteen years of this- or well, not eighteen years but-" I cut him off by pulling his hand off of my breast and slipping it down to cup my pussy over my sweatpants. We hadn't done too much, sexually. A little heavy petting here. A little kissing there but…

"Mmmm, you're so wet I can feel you through the pants." He curled his fingers inward and spread my lips, through the layers before massaging my clit. "These are my sweatpants aren't they?" He asked husky groaning when I nodded and bit my lip.

"Edward, more, please." I whispered grinding down against his fingers. He moved his hand away from my dripping cunt and trailed his hand down my leg, before lifting it and draping it over his shoulder.

"Good god, you're sexy." He whispered, bringing his other hand between my thighs and palming my cunt.

"Edward, baby… Fuck me, do something…" I whispered, more than worked up and his hand worked me over. My walls were fluttering with needs and I needed more so badly. He moved back and yanked off my sweatpants, leaving my underwear on.

"I like these." He said, reaching under my ass to slip his finger under the thinnest part of the deep blue thong I wore. His finger followed the soaked material up to my clit until his knuckles teased me relentlessly. My back arched and my other leg lifted involuntarily. He smirked sexily at me and scooted further down on the bed until he was eyelevel with my essence.

"No," I started to panic, I'd never had anyone go down on me, the thought of it was kind of gross in my opinion.

"Shh…" He whispered, slipping his tongue under my thong and toying with the material without touching my needy cunt. I'll be damned if he didn't look amazing between my thighs though, If I could get a framed picture of this view it would be mounted to the ceiling above my bed.

"Edward… Don't…" My pleas started to get weaker the longer he stayed down there. The longer I looked at him I just wanted him to eat me like I was his last meal. He locked eyes with me as he used his finger to pull my underwear to the side. He gave me a cautious look before dropping a light and quick kiss on my clit. The feeling sent my stomach into a frenzy and my juices poured out twice as fast.

"Eat it, baby…" I whispered, watching as he winked at me before closing his eyes as his tongue and mouth worked me over. His tongue traced the inside of my lips, without touching my clit before he laved my clit with attention and love. I moaned and bucked into his face as he moved down just a bit until he was able to slip his tongue into me.

"Edward! So good!" I screamed as he pulled his tongue from me and replaced it with two fingers.

"Fuck you're tight." He said slipping his long fingers further into me. "How long has it been?" He whispered, dropping more kisses on my clit as he pumped his fingers into my pussy.

"Since what?" I moaned, tangling my fingers in his hair.

"Since the last time you fucked." He said, purring the last word out so smoothly that I could have come from just the sight. I bucked into his face and cried out as he nibbled on my clit.

"Eight years." I whispered, my hand coming up to pinch my nipple. His eyes widened in shock and he slid up my body, shedding his pants as he went.

"Fuck," He hissed. I moaned as he curled his fingers in me, hitting my g-spot. "I was your last?"

"My one and only." I whisper.

"This is going to hurt then, baby." He said looking down at his cock as it slapped against his stomach. It was exactly as I remembered it, thick and so deliciously long. I reached between us and firmly gripped his dick, making his eyes screw shut as he bit his lip.

"I just want to be in you." He whispered, moving my hand from him and lacing our fingers together, resting my hand above my head.

"I want you in me too, baby… Fuck me." I moaned loudly as he laid the underside of his cock against my slit, rocking his hips sensually against me, spreading my juices and working me up.

"You like that, huh?" He whispered, dropping his hips roughly into mine again. I matched his rhythm, making sure he never left me. He moved his free hand between us and traced my opening gently. He looked down and took himself into his hand, lining himself up to my soaked pussy.

"Uh, oh god!" I screamed as he stretched me immensely.

"Baby, that's just the tip." He whispered making my eyes shoot open.

"The tip?"

"The head."

"I know what you mean, just… God you're huge." I said in awe. He smirked and shrugged with a nod.

"Yeah, baby." He moaned out, slipping further into me and stopping. "So tight and wet. You're pussy is great, baby." He whispered as I shifted my hips so that I could get more comfortable.

It was hurting more than I remember it hurting the first time. Of course, I probably only stored the good parts of that night in my memory.

"Harder…" I ordered, hoping maybe the motion would make it easier. It didn't really help the pain but the pleasure passed up the ache by a mile. Edward's hips rolled against mine deliciously, his pelvic bone hitting my clit.

"I love you." He whispered, picking up the pace. He blanched after about ten minutes and I cupped his cheek, pulling him down for a kiss.

"What's wrong?" I moaned as he slipped his thumb between our sweat glossed bodies until he reached my clit. He applied just the right about of pleasure to send me off of the edge, screaming as I went.

"Baby, we forgot a condom." He said moving to pull out of me as I rode the waves. His eyes rolled up in the back of his head as my walls milked him.

"I'm on birth control." I said, rocking into him and kissing him again as he came. I moaned as he finished bucking into me as he came down. Once he'd finished, he fell onto me, spent. I relished in the weight of him and kissed along his shoulder until I realized he was crushing me.

"Baby…" I let out a strangled whisper and he rolled off of me, instead pulling me to his chest and kissing my head.

"That was the best I've _ever_ had, baby." He whispered in my ear. "Even better than Prom." I smiled and turned into him, resting my head on his chest.

"We were both virgins on prom night, it had terrible sex written all over it." I smiled, kissing his chest.

"Well at least I got another chance to redeem myself." He smiled, sliding his arm under my head and around his shoulder.

"It was amazing." I sighed, starting to feel the aftermath of our activity. My womanhood started to ache and I winced, letting his hand playing with my nipple distract me.

"Good," He turned, pressing his nose to my cheek, "only the best for you, Baby." He nuzzled my cheek before rubbing my stomach. "Let's get you fed, beautiful." He pulled away and grabbed my robe from the back of the chair at my desk, tossing it to me. He slipped into the bathroom and did a little cleaning up before he reappeared a few seconds later, drying his hands.

"So this is like the full Edward Cullen experience, huh?" I chuckled as we headed into the kitchen. Edward pulled out my chair for me.

"What do you mean?" He asked sitting across from me before frowning at our distance and pulling my chair towards him

"You kno love 'em, feed 'em, leave 'em." I chuckled, his confused look twisted into a scowl and I was caught off guard by the way his eyes darkened. He looked... Dare I say...

_Serious_!?

"Why so glum, sugar plum?" I asked rubbing his thigh.

"Bella," he sighed, furrowing his eyebrows and biting his lip. "You aren't like the others." I fidgeted with my hands, having no clue as to what to do with a solemn Edward.

"Hopefully. I wouldn't be able to handle it if I turned into your usual dumb bimbos." I scoffed, trying to lighten the mood.

"Babe, I'm serious. You are." He tilted my chin up so I looked at him. "There aren't words..." Not going to lie I was feeling a little skeptical, but I said nothing. "As weird as this sounds, you're my it. My everything." He stroked my cheek and his eyes tried their damnedest to convince me of that. Of course, it worked. That and I felt the same way.

"Fuck it being too soon," He said almost under his breath. "Look," I nodded and he took a deep breath. "I love you. More than as a friend... I have for years, I was just waiting for you to come around." He glanced up at me, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable. "I can keep waiting…" He whispered. "Anything for you-"

"Edward," I cut him off, placing a hand on his cheek. "I love you too." I smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. I bit my lip and slid a hand into his hair further, pulling him in tight against my lips.

"More than anything." He smirked, wrapping his arm around my waist.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!**

**Please review and I'll tease!**


	11. Chapter 10

"This should be our new monthly thing." Edward says, slipping his hand under my short robe and sweeping his fingers over my bare thigh as we stood at the door of my apartment the next morning.

"Hmm, agreed." I whispered as he wrapped his arm around my waist. I kissed his shoulder through the jacket and he grinned.

"Of course, cuddling is great too..." I rubbed his stomach, letting my fingers linger over the prominent abs that were there.

"We can do both." I said quietly and he nodded. He smiled and leaned down trailing the tip of his nose over my cheek. If I hadn't grown up with him and met Esme I probably would have assumed he was deprived of human touch as a child. I chuckled at the thought and turned my head so that I could meet his lips.

"I need to stop by my house, so my walk of shame doesn't turn into a day of shame." He whispered against my mouth, I hummed and nodded before pulling away. "Agh…" He groaned as I bit my lip. I smiled and pulled him in for another kiss, not able to get enough of him. "What are you doing today?" He asked, looking at the clock over my shoulder as he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into him.

"Job hunting!" I said, forcing excitement into my tone.

"Bella," He groaned.

"No." I shook my head, pulling away so that he could see how serious I was. I didn't want or need his hand outs; I could find this job just like I found my last one. "You don't think I can do this on my own?"

"I _know_ you can, honey. It's just… Do you know how many schools are looking for teachers now?" I shrugged and he answered his own question. "Hardly any."

"Thanks for the encouragement." I sighed, moving away from him.

"I'm not saying you can't get one, it's just _hard_ to. Bella, if you came to work for me you would make great money-"

"I know, Edward." I sighed rubbing the back of my neck.

"I just want you to be okay." He said sincerely, putting his finger under my chin to make me look at him. "I know you're struggling with trying to make things work out." My eyes widened and I felt embarrassed. Edward was my best friend- well, we're more now- but I didn't want him worrying about my financial situation anymore. Especially while he's rolling around in dough.

"I'm not-"

"Bella, don't be embarrassed." He sighed, tipped off by my traitor blush. "I know you want to do things on your own, but-"

"But nothing." I cut him off. "We had a good night, let's not ruin it with this…" I bit my lip and shook my head.

"Think of how much you could help _me._" He said touching his own chest. "Dad said I needed a new assistant anyway."

"What happened to the old one."

"She moved departments."

"Harassment?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow. He really couldn't help it.

"I like think of it as having different views as to what's office appropriate. It's not like I'm fucking people on desks or asking her to suck my dick." He cut his eyes to me and a smirk tugged at his lips. "That's-" I held up a hand cutting him off, I giving him a dirty look. I shook my head and turned my back to him, walking towards the kitchen. He checked his watch again before huffing and following me.

"One night together and you're already treating me like a whore."

"That wasn't what I was gonna say!" He said holding up his hands. "And it's technically two nights, if you count high school, but you are _not_ a whore. I wouldn't-"

"I know. Calm yourself." I said shaking my head before he started hyperventilating. I put on a pot of coffee, making enough for both of us.

"I love you." He said randomly. Yet, even though it was random, it still warmed my heart just as much, a tingling feeling spread across my chest.

"I love you too." I shrugged, pulling out coffee creamer as he leaned against the counter. I bit my lip as I could see the outline of his dick in his pants.

"I wasn't done." He said, with a slight smile. "I love you and I want to see you doing alright. Why won't you let me?"

"I'm alright," I pulled open my almost empty refrigerator and shut it quickly before he looked inside. I didn't want him to know that I was spending as little as possible on food, as I was already trying to save up to pay him back. "I mean, It's not like I'm just out on my ass. I'm getting that money from my parents, and unemployment." I shrugged.

"And what is that? Two hundred a month? Fifty dollars a week, Bella?" He gasped. "And not even that, you can only pay a third of your rent with that!"

_One hundred_. I corrected mentally.

"I'm okay!" I groaned. "As you _well_ know, my rent had been paid!" He rolled his eyes. "I'm just focusing on saving up to pay you back."

"I don't want your money."

"I don't want to owe you anything, Edward. I'm giving it back."

"I won't take it."

"We'll see." I huffed, trying my hardest to be nonchalant.

"I'm not going to drop this." He said.

"Why not?!" I slammed the cabinet I had opened shut. His eyes darkened and it was beginning to get hard to focus on being angry when he looked so… It was ridiculous how gorgeous someone could be, even when angry. I furrowed my eyebrows, staring into those eyes. It took all I had to not shift my hips, not to search for friction, because I definitely needed some with the way he was staring at me.

"Don't get mad at me because I'm watching out for you!" He said stepping towards me. As sad as it was all I could think of was hip pushing me over the couch and fucking me from behind.

"Damn it, Edward! This shouldn't be so… We're supposed to be in post coital bliss or some shit, and you're just pissing me off." He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry I'm concerned about your wellbeing!" He growled.

"It's okay, apology accepted." I smiled and his eye twitched. "This relationship's off to a great start." I huffed moving around him and plopping down on the couch. "You didn't even wait until after marriage to change." I wrinkled my nose at him, he turned and gave me a withering look.

"I haven't _changed_, Bella. I've always wanted the best for you." He came to me and dropped onto his knees next to my legs, clasping his hands together as he rested his elbows on my thighs. "Please let me help you." I felt bad, but all I could think about was his head between my thighs… and how much I wanted that to happen again.

"You know how you can help me?" I ask leaning forward enough to push him backwards so that he sat on his heels. I swung my leg over to the other side of him, spreading my legs. I leaned forward and grabbed his collar, pulling him back towards me. His eyes darkened impossibly further as I pulled him close enough that our faces were only inches apart.

"How?" He whispered his eyes flicking down to my lips. I pressed my lips to his, kissing him with fervor. I scooted my hips forward on the couch before pushing him back again so that I could pull his sweater over his head. He groaned as I threw the sweater. "We can't solve things with sex, honey."

"There are something's we can solve." I said, pulling the tie to my robe open to reveal my naked body. He grunted as his eyes trailed down my body. I grabbed his hand, which rested on my thigh and brought it to my center, moaning at the sensation of his cold fingers. My head dropped back as he batted my hand away, before spreading my pussy lips with two fingers.

"Ung…" I let out a shaky moan as his fingers massaged my lips.

"Now, baby, you know you're wrong for tempting me with this delicious, wet pussy." He whispered, his voice strained. "If you accept my job offer-" he placed a slow open mouthed kiss on my swollen warmth. He let out a breath that caressed my clit and I cried out. "I'll give you _exactly_ what you want. Then we can stop fighting."

"Not fighting." I whispered, letting my hand drift down to my center. "Disagreeing." I twirled a finger around my clit and sucked in a breath, watching him watch me. He gulped audibly as I vigorously played with my clit, needing a release, whether I had his help or not.

We said nothing for quite a while, continuing as we were. The wet squishy sound of my fingers moving was accompanied by groans from both of us. His hand came up and massaged my calf as he watched me, trailing the wetness from me, up my legs.

"Edward?"

"Yes or no?"

"Are these the kids of things you do at the office? Trading sex for favors because I think I might know where the harassment charges are coming from…" I manage to choke out as my small fingers proved to be unsatisfactory.

"Haha." He said without humor.

"Fine, I accept. Thank you." I sigh, feeling defeated. He was exhilarated though, his eyes bright.

"Thank god, I had no clue how much longer I'd last. You're so wet." He said quietly, palming his cock over his pants. I licked my lips at the sight and lifted my leg. He grabbed my extended leg and hooked it over his shoulder. Every nerve in my body was set alight as he placed kisses up the length of my thigh. A scream bubbled up in my chest as he placed a kiss on the crease where my pelvis met my leg.

His eyes flicked up to mine as his sucked one of my lips into his mouth, nibbling gently on it.

"Ungh…" I whimper as his soft lips finally meet my clit, sucking the nub into his mouth. A scream ripped from me and I slammed my hand down on the couch cushion. He kissed his way down my slit before sliding his tongue into me. It was always a little weird how long his tongue was, but now I realized why.

The man was made for sex.

The hair, the face, the voice, the tongue, the body, the cock.

All of him.

He winked at me before closing his eyes and moaning as he fucked me with his tongue. His hand slipped up my thigh and his thumb started to work my clit over, again. My head fell back against the couch as he touched me and I let out a heavy rushed breath.

He was driving me crazy. My entire body was set off like a live wire, bucking and rolling. I felt him smirk against my pussy as he withdrew his tongue to lavish my clit.

"Oh, Edward!" I screamed, bucking into his mouth. "Edward, baby, god yes!" I screamed, looking down to see him push my legs further apart. God it was a delicious sight. He took my clit gently between his teeth and rolled it lightly, causing my hips to roll into his face.

I grabbed his hair and pulled him away from my cunt, pressing a sloppy kiss on his soaking lips. "I want to fuck your face." I purred against his mouth, licking up my juices. He smiled and his eyes glowed with lust.

"Who would have thought you had this side to you, Isabella?" He asked cocking an eyebrow, right before I pushed him backwards on my floor, falling with him. I crawled up his body and positioned myself over his mouth, moaning as his breath ghosted over my wet lips. His hands came up and he pulled me onto his mouth, excitedly eating me like I was his last meal.

My eyebrows furrowed as I rode his face, drowning him in my pussy. I heard the sound of his fly and turned over my shoulder to see him pull his cock out of his fly, letting it bounce out and slap his stomach. I bit my lip as I looked at the thick, long flesh. I quickly turned around on his face, pulling my hair to one side as I grabbed his cock.

"Mmmm." He hummed as I slid my mouth down onto him. I moaned at the wet sloppy sound of him eating me as I sucked him in as far as he'd go. My hands gripped his thighs as my throat convulsed around his cock. He loudly slurped at me, sucking in my clit, and my juices with a moan.

His hips lifted to meet my face as vigorously as mine rolled against his and I groaned. I took him in my hand and laid wet kisses up the side of him, my tongue tracing his throbbing veins up until it met his perfect head. I moaned around his delicious length, smiling as his musky essence beaded up on his tip, begging me to lap at his slit. I took him in as deep as he could go and took the rest into my hand, wrapping my hand around his girth.

"Bab-" My words were cut off as he thrust into my mouth again. Instead of telling him, I came on his tongue, gushing more powerfully than usual. I rubbed and rolled at his balls until he started pulsing in my mouth, shooting his thick cum down my throat in spurts. I swallowed reflexively around him, taking all he could give me. When I finished sucking him dry, I rolled off of him, lying on my back.

Edward turned so that our heads were at the same level and gave me a deep kiss. I moaned at our taste together and he bit my lip, making my entire body tingle. I smiled against his mouth and he pulled me into him, spooning us together. His hand ran up and down the length of my thigh before he hooked it over his own thigh, lining his head up with my wanton pussy.

I nodded and reached behind myself, grabbing his hair. "More please." His hand came up and cupped my tit, rolling my nipple between his fingers.

I felt him smile against my neck. "Welcome to Cullen and Co." He whispered before grunting along with my moan as his pushed into me.

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	12. Chapter 11

"Welcome to Cullen and Co. Ms. Swan." Angela said with a bright smile as she led me through the glass doors. I smiled back at her and tried to quell my nerves as she led me through the pristine halls. I followed her in awe as I took in the area. I'd been on site with Edward a few times but never here. It was beautiful, it was mostly made out of glass, the walls, the doors, even the water fountain that sat in the lobby.

"I'll take you to the break room first, and then I'll take you to all the main offices, the ones you'll _need_ to worry about." I nodded and kept on her heels as she led me around. She led me down a mirrored hallway and pushed on one of the panels. It swung to the side, opening up to reveal a small break room like any other, except it was wall to wall windows, even the part that backed the mirror hallway.

"You're pretty much on break whenever you aren't busy. The amount of freedom here is unbelievable." She said excitedly before leading me out again and pushing the wall/door thing closed. I made note of the fact that it was the third large panel from the Cullen Crest water fountain.

"This is Mr. Cullen Sr.'s office." She said strutting past it with a hair flip, as Carlisle could probably see us just as clearly as we could see him. He looked up and gave me that same charming half smile Edward wore on occasion. I waved at him and he nodded, standing and walking around his desk towards the wall.

"Ms. Swan, we're excited to have you here." He said as he pushed open, what was apparently, the door.

"I'm glad to be here, Mr. Cullen."

"Well, you're in good hands with our Angela." She smiled and blushed as he winked at her.

"Thanks, Mr. Cullen." She said before ducking her head.

A phone started ringing in his office and he turned to look at it over his shoulder before furrowing his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, ladies, I've got something to attend to, but I'll be sure to catch up with you late, Ms. Swan." I nodded and he waved once more before turning the large glass until it closed.

I turned to Angela and she was still blushing. "The accent gets me every time." She giggled.

I chuckled at her. "So all of the walls are just glass? That doesn't seem very…"

"Oh no, honey. They're all on their own circuits which allow the windows to darken and panels descend turning the windows into one or two sided mirrors." She informed me, walking farther down the hall way. "We'll be coming up on Mr. Cullen Jr.'s office, he's not usually in, he's most likely onsite, but maybe that's for the best." I furrowed my eyebrows at the Junior and Senior thing, they did have two different names after all.

"Why is that?" I asked, wanting to get the down low on what they thought of Edward here.

"He's kind of gorgeous, it's nerve wracking at times… Especially when you work immediately under him. I mean, Senior is more than attractive, but Ed- Mr. Cullen Jr. is Senior two point oh." She said shaking her head. I internally rolled my eyes.

_That's it?_

She went on. "He's really nice though, once you get to know him. Just a little intimidating at times…"

"Intimidating?"

"It's the face and the accent… Together, it's unbearable." She swooned and I laughed. Edward's accent had all but disappeared in the years I'd known him, so he must do it around her on purpose.

"Okay," I said simply. A panel to the wall swung out right in front of me and I stopped right before I smacked into it. Edward stepped out of the door looking devastatingly handsome in his work attire consisting of a form fitted blue dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows and light gray slacks, that hugged those gorgeous legs perfectly.

"Ugh." I huffed as he turned to smirk at me. Angela gasped and elbowed me in the arm.

"That's him." She whispered before raising her voice so he could hear her. "Hello, Mr. Cullen."

"Hello, Angela." He said smoothly with a strong accent, with a before turning his gaze on me. "Come here." He looked back to Angela with a smile, "Thanks for helping her out, Ang. I've got it from here." He smiled and she nodded with a giggle before scurrying off. He stepped aside and let me enter the office ahead of him.

"Well, hello to you to." I said with a roll of my eyes. "Why'd you stop her, I was taking my _tour_."

"I can give you a tour and something to ogle while I educate you."

"What's up with the accent?"

"They get a kick out of it. It makes work a little sexier for them." He smirked, picking up a remote and clicking it a few times until the windows went dark, blocking out the hallway.

"You are so full of it." I laughed, watching the panels in awe. "I thought they only turned into mirrors."

"Some do, but I change in here and shit, I don't want to have to watch myself or others when I get down to my skivvies." I nodded and walked farther into the pristine office, taking in the white carpet and the glass desk. I went and sat behind it, looking over the three picture frames he had there. There was one of him with his parents, Emmett and their dog, that I remember taking a few years back. Another of his niece Emily smiling as she posed in what looked like a princess costume. Then there was one of the two of us in his front yard, him behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist, beaming as I scowled at the camera. Much like I was scowling down at the frame.

"What?" He asked taking the picture from my hands and laughing at it. "I love this picture." I curled a lip at him and he laughed harder.

"Why that one? There are so many pictures of us and you chose that one."

"My hair looks good in it." He shrugged, plopping down in the chair that sat on the opposite side of the desk.

"I swear every day you get shallower." I shook my head, still recognizing that he had a picture of me on his desk. My stomach tingled as I looked at the desk full of the people closest to him.

"Just be happy you made it onto the desk of toleration." He smiled setting the frame down again.

"The what?"

"The desk of toleration. All the people I can put up with every once in a while are on this desk."

I crossed my hands over my heart and fluttered my eyelashes. "Thanks, babe. That makes me feel so special." He winked and I shook my head.

"So are you actually going to take me on a tour?" I asked, picking up the family 'portrait' I'd taken.

"Nope." He said popping the P. "You're office is in the room off of this one, as you'll be working as my personal assistant." I choked on air and sat forward in the chair. "You won't be in the office that much though, because I'm not really in here a lot. And you'll be with me…" He wiggled his eyebrows and winked again. "_Always._" I sighed and bit my lip, leaning back in the chair.

"Oh we're going to hate each other after this." I sighed with a chuckle and he shook his head.

"Never." He pushed himself out of his chair and braced his hands on the desk, leaning across it. "First order of business here at Cullen and Co. is the mandatory sexual harassment training. Luckily I missed the last one-"

"Probably because you were somewhere sexually harassing me." I mumbled and he stood back before shrugging.

"Most likely, but you weren't my employee then, so it was okay."

"I don't think you've quite grasped the concept of harassment." I said as he walked behind the desk, rolling back the chair so that I'd stand. I did and then set the frame back down on the desk.

"I'll get it one day." He said slinging his arm over my shoulders and pulling me to his side. "Now listen, babe, we're going to have to keep this strictly professional in the office." I rolled my eyes. "That means no quickies, bj's under the desk or make out sessions in the break room."

"Yeah, I'll try and contain myself." I deadpanned. "You might also want to work on calling me Bella."

"As opposed to?"

"Babe… Baby?" He nodded.

"I can always try." He kissed my forehead and moved away from me, grabbing his sports jacket off the back of his chair. "To training!"

"Do you know where we're going?"

"Not really, but I heard that Dad leads it so we can just find him." He said raising his eyebrows and pushing open the panel, letting me out. "Remember, professional." We headed down the short hall stiffly as we passed coworkers and he sighed behind me.

"Maybe not so professional, I'm already bored." He pointed at a panel and I lifted a hand to push it open, meeting unmoving glass and almost smacking into it face first. Edward stood solemnly behind me and I turned to glare at him, sending him into hysterics.

"Asshole! That hurt." I gasped as he pushed in the panel two away from the one he'd originally pointed at. Once we were inside of the office I punched him in the shoulder. "I think I broke my nose."

"No, you didn't… That's your fault anyway, who opens a door with their face?" He said doubling over and bracing himself on his knees.

"You know me, all or nothing." I sneered, wrinkling my nose at him.

"That was cruel, Edward." Carlisle laughed from behind his desk. "There's a problem already?"

"We're here for sexual harassment training." Edward said gesturing to one of the seats, letting me sit before him.

I shook my head, "You sit first. I'm not falling for that again."

"Sexual harassment training?" Carlisle questioned lifting an eyebrow in my direction. "Well looks like you're already making improvements, Bella. If I got another complaint about this one I was going to have to staple him to the chair to get him through the meeting." He smiled and Edward rolled his eyes, sitting down and pointing at the other. I snickered and tentatively scooted farther back in the chair.

"There's nothing wrong with it, just sit…" I kept eye contact with him as I slid slowly into the chair and he smiled once I was down. "See it's not that bad."

"I'm sure you two know the majority of the material they want me to cover." Carlisle said leaning over and pulling a thick file from his drawer. He flipped through it for a second before pushing to quiz like forms our way. I picked mine up and glanced over it.

"Whatever you miss we'll go over it." He said relaxing back into his chair and resting his arms on the armrests.

"If I do better than you, you owe me a kiss." Edward said tapping his lips. Senior huffed from behind the desk and tossed a post it note pad at him. I quickly filled mine out, scoffing at some of the questions.

_Nancy just received a promotion, is slapping her buttock the correct way to congratulate her? Yes/No_

_You notice that Derek has spilled a spot of ketchup on his slacks at work; do you address the matter by reaching into his lap and touching the spot to bring it to his attention? Yes/No_

These were questions that even Edward could probably get right…

_On the other hand…_

_Nah, he could pass._

I finished the form and slid it towards Mr. Cullen, sitting back and watching Edward do the same, with an arrogant smile. He patted my knee and I rolled my eyes.

"You look kinda nervous, babe," He teased, Mr. Cullen's eyes peeked over the top of the file and I paid him no attention. "afraid you didn't do well?"

"Not at all. I was always the better test taker." I said lifting my chin. He laughed and we waited for Mr. Cullen, to first look back to the paper, then finish grading them. He handed both of the papers back to us and I pursed my lips when I saw I missed one.

"It's okay, Bella. That was a tricky one." Mr. Cullen winked and Edward turned his paper to face me, showing that he hadn't missed any.

"Wait what the he-" My eyes shot to Carlisle and I cleared my throat. "heck?"

"Don't be too impressed, Bella." He said looking at Edward with dismay.

"I wrote the quiz." Edward gloated.

"Then why have I gotten two sexual harassment complaints from Ruth at the front desk in the past two months?"

"I don't know, shouldn't those go to HR?" He asked and I crossed my legs, pursing my lips at him.

"Edward." Carlisle snapped.

"Ruth's always looking to sue for something." He rolled his eyes, "She's money hungry."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"He touched her butt." Carlisle informed.

"I did not _touch her butt_. If anything, I slapped her ass-" Mr. Cullen sat up, ready to jump on that and I pressed my lips together to keep down my amused smile. "that was an accident too. I mean, she's like seventy years old. I have no interest in that, anyway." He rolled his eyes. "It's completely implausible, I mean, if it were Bella's ass I slapped, _then_ you could probably believe it." He shrugged and I nodded with scoff.

"Edward still-"

"Dad, accident or not, she _probably_ enjoyed it." I turned to Carlisle and he gave me an exasperated look, tugging his hand through his blonde hair.

"Looks like you've talked yourself into a thirty minute informational session." He said pulling out the folder again and this time pushing a booklet towards Edward who rolled his eyes.

"I was joking…"

"No you weren't." I laughed and he winked at me.

"You can leave if you'd like. I'll send Edward back in a while."

"Uh uh, she's staying; you can personally assist me through this crap." He said turning to me. "And you aren't getting out of that kiss you owe me."

"We'll see." I said before nodding to Mr. Cullen, whose eyes darted between the two of us rapidly, like he was watching a tennis match.

"Alright, well let's get started."

**I hope you all enjoyed**** reading this chapter as much as I did writing it!**

**Drop me a review and I'll respond with a teaser!**


	13. Chapter 12

"Bella!" I jumped as Edward yelled from outside my door. "Bella, I have some news!" I fucking hurdled my couch on the way to the door, trying to get there because he yelled something stupid. "I had a baby and she's yours! Open the damn door! I need my child support!" I spun around a book I'd left in the floor and ripped open the door in time to see Edward looking over his shoulder at my old hag of a neighbor. "Baby Mama drama, you know how it is." He shook Emily in the woman's direction and the little girl giggled.  
"Edward." I sighed, taking Emily from him and turning to walk in the house.  
"Have a nice day, Katrina." He beamed at the woman before closing the door on her. I pursed my lips and tried to look annoyed, but it was kind of hard with him being so… him.  
"Are you mad at me, baby?" He asked ducking his head as he walked toward me, looking at me from beneath his eyelashes.  
"Definitely." I lied, as a smile broke through. He laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my lips.  
"Ew." Emily giggled from her perch on the couch before she found my remote and started flipping through channels.  
"Babysitting again?" I asked, Edward as he kissed my nose and moved towards the couch with his niece.  
He nodded, "Yup, Em and Rose went on a weekend retreat this time, so this one's all mine until Monday." He said leaning into Emily's face and tapping her nose. She giggled and tossed her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He made a show of hugging her back tightly, scrunching up his eyes and all. I laughed at them and moved toward the kitchen.  
"Em, do you want juice or cookies or something?" I asked the little girl. Edward turned and mouthed 'No, ice cream.'  
"Do you have ice cream?" She asked with wide eyes. Edward shook his head rapidly and I gaped comically at the little girl.  
"Do I?!" I asked, reaching into my freezer and pulling out two cartons that Edward had brought over. I mouthed, "Payback" to him and he closed his eyes with a sigh. She let out an ear splitting scream and scrambled over the back of the couch, falling on her face. I set the ice cream down and rushed to her, as did Edward.  
"See, if you'd have just listened to me…" Edward mumbled as Emily started crying. She crawled into his arms and I pouted at her, brushing her hair back.  
"I'm sorry, honey." I apologized, even though I technically didn't push her off of the couch.  
"It's okay, but I think a kiss will help." Edward sighed, poking out his bottom lip. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him.  
"She was talking to me." Emily scowled up at her uncle and he kissed her forehead. Emily reached out to me and I hugged her tightly.  
"Maybe we should give you two scoops to make you feel better, huh?" I said poking her little stomach. She clapped and nodded before taking my hand and following me into the kitchen.  
"You know, I think the saying is less is more."  
"You tend to be wrong though." I smiled sweetly at him and he rolled his eyes, following us into the kitchen.  
"That hasn't been my experience." He said quietly, gripping both of my hips in his hands. I dished out the ice cream for Emily, giving her two generous scoops of the chocolate. As soon as she looked down at the bowl I rocked my ass against Edward, smiling as he let out a strained groan. He pushed his face into my neck and let out a little moan. I reached back and patted his ass, glad I could evoke that type of reaction.  
"We're going to tell my parents today." He told me, kissing behind my ear. My eyes widened and I turned in his arms.  
"Today?"  
"Yeah, they're expecting us in an hour." He smiled, kissing my nose.  
"An hour?! You couldn't have told me this before now?" I asked, lightly slapping his shoulder.  
"I can cancel…" He said slowly, giving me a wary look.  
"No, no, don't cancel." I sighed, "I just don't want to show up at your house looking disgusting. I need time to get ready."  
"You'd dress up for my parents and not me?"  
"I'd probably get dressed in real clothes if you ever told me when you were coming by." I said pursing my lips at him. He raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement.  
"You don't look disgusting, you just need shoes." He said sliding his finger into the waistband of my pants and pulling me flush against him.  
"And new clothes." Emily pitched in from behind me. I turned and wrinkled my nose at her. She just shrugged me off and went back to eating the ice cream.  
"Alright, well get going because it takes a good thirty minutes to get there, baby." He said, backing up and letting my leave, but not before slapping my ass. I ran into my room, more than happy that I got off of my ass and showered this morning. I pulled on a dark pair of skinny legged jeans, pairing them with a black blouse and a pastel pink blazer. I hopped around the room yanking on my black boots before stopping in my bathroom and putting on a bit of eyeliner and brushing my teeth again.  
I turned on the blow dryer and shook out my wavy hair, drying it as I went. When I was satisfied that my hair didn't look frizzy I rushed to the kitchen. Emily and Edward were still at the counter, where she was perched on her stool. They were playing what looked like a complicated version of patty cake, I picked up my purse and keys as I watched them. Just when you think Edward can't get any more attractive he starts playing with children.  
My ovaries can't handle the implosion.  
"You ready, babe?" He asked, looking at me and missing a clap. Emily tsk'ed and held up her left hand, making an upside down version of the 'OK' sign. He looked at it before cursing as she leaned across the island and punched him in the arm.  
"Hey, don't break your uncle cause then I have to take care of him." I teased Emily and she giggled, scooping up her bowl and passing it to Edward with a pointed look.  
"Thank you, Uncle Eddie." She beamed sweetly, giving him that Cullen smile. He grimaced at her and taped his cheek. She smacked a kiss to his cheek with a loud "Mwah" and he chuckled as he took her bowl.  
"You're welcome, cutie." He smiled at her before turning and looking me up and down. "You look beautiful."  
"Thanks, it's kind of a Bella thing." I joked cockily and he rolled his eyes.  
"That it is." He said scooping up his niece in one arm and carrying her sideways to the couch.  
"This isn't the proper way to hold a child." Emily said, flailing underneath his arm. He rolled his eyes in my direction, pointing at the kid like that was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.  
"Let's hit the road!" Emily called after Edward tossed me her bag, which I'm sure he could have left at his house. Emily had been out of her diaper bag stage for about a year now. We all exited the house and Katrina was in the hall again.  
Edward pursed his lips and rubbed his fingers together, "Gotta get that money, girl." He said to her before carrying Emily downstairs. I looked at Katrina, who gave me a terrified stare, and sighed. The woman was under the impression that I was disease riddled sperm donor to a man I also dealt cocaine too.  
"It's a wonder Em and Rose still let you keep her after all the mental scarring you've probably inflicted."  
"Yeah…" He pursed his lips with a shrug. He covered one of her ears before continuing to speak. "They don't really care for her that much. I'm just a pretense." I laughed and Emily scowled because she heard everything.  
"I have two ears, Uncle Eddie."  
"So?"  
"So I heard you!" She giggled, slapping his stomach. He shrugged and tossed her over his shoulder.  
"Uh huh and what did I say?" He challenged, grabbing her feet and letting her slide down his back a little. Her eyes widened and she gripped his back as she giggled.  
"That Mommy and Daddy don't care about me and you're just pretense."  
"Oh… You did hear didn't you?" She 'mhm'ed' and he tossed me a panicked look.  
"What does pretense mean, cutie?" I asked, sticking my hands under her arm pits and pulling her safely from her uncle, into my arms.  
"Pink?"  
"Oh gee, Edward. You're screwed." I said, my voice oozing with sarcasm. He wrinkled his nose at me.  
"He was just kidding about Mommy and Daddy not caring about you." I said walking through the door Edward opened for us.  
"I was." She nodded and started to 'braid' my hair, which consisted of knotting it until it stuck.  
"Okay." She said simply. "I won't tell my mommy if that's what you're worried about…" Edward and I both let out a simultaneous sigh of relieve. "As long as we get ice cream on the way back from grandma's house." She sent us a sweet smile and I grimaced at Edward.  
"Okay, as long as you don't tell Mommy." Edward groaned getting into the front seat as I finished buckling Emily in.  
"Yup, I won't tell." She beamed and I got into my own seat. Edward quickly left the parking lot and drove to his parents' house. The drive was long and Emily quickly fell asleep, leaving the car silent. The closer we started to get to his house the more nervous I became.  
"What's the big deal, babe?" Edward asked, tossing me a side glance as we drove up the winding pathway to the Cullen mansion. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and lifted my thumb to my mouth, biting the nail.  
"Edward, I don't know if you noticed…" I mumbled, clearing my scratchy throat. "But I woke up an hour ago." I hissed, clearing my throat once more.  
"So? I've woken you up before." He shrugged reaching over and turning down the classical CD that played. He parked the car and sat back in his seat, looking at me, making no move to leave. I followed right in his footsteps and let my head drop back against the headrest. He shifted next to me and I looked over to see him unbuckling Emily who laid sleeping in her carseat.  
"But not for something as big as this." I groaned, biting the white tip of my nail clean off and grimacing at it. "If you can't tell I'm sick, irritable-"  
"Are you-?"  
"And yes! I am on my period." He sighed and shifted his lips to the side, looking pensively at me.  
"Well. I'll tell my parents you aren't feeling well-"  
"We're sitting in the driveway, honey." I whispered, massaging my temples. He pouted at me empathetically and reached over, placing a hand on my thigh. I let out an uncomfortable groan and picked up his hand holding it in both of mine. "I'm nervous." I admitted in a whisper.  
"Me too."  
My eyes widened, "Why are you nervous?!" His worry made mine ten times worse. Edward's parents liked me as far as I knew, but him being unsure of their reaction made me think otherwise.  
"I don't know, you're making me nervous…" He said, his eyes going big as he stared at me. The panic I saw in reflected in his bright green eyes made me start in on my nails again.  
"Damn it, Edward."  
"What?"  
"It's just your parents. We've both known them for over twenty years…" He nodded.  
"They're just as sweet and welcoming as any other English family…" He convinced, my eyes shot to his and he winced. I didn't know that much about England, despite Edward's short five years there that he'd told me about. I did know, though, that England wasn't necessarily known for being the nicest people on earth. Edward's parent's, of course, were great though, so we were just going in circles.  
"Look, you need to stop messing with me and help me calm down before I piss on myself."  
"Well, maybe I should." He furrowed his eyebrows and leaned into me, letting me know he'd been fucking with me the whole time. "Then after we leave here we can get you some depends."  
"Edward…" I whined. He smirked and cupped my face, kissing my cheek.  
"Bella, like I said. They already love you. You don't need to worry about them not liking you, or not approving. We already know they wanted this to happen for us." He pointed between the two of us and I bit my lip. "And we already know their reaction can't be worse than the way your parents will react." He chuckled quietly as I smacked his arm.  
"You don't know that…" I said my voice not even sounding convincing to my own ears.  
"We both do." His eyes flicked down to my lips and I sighed as he gave me another short kiss. "But we'll get through both together."  
My car door opened and I jumped, leaning towards Edward. "Are you coming in or are you going to sit here all day?"  
"Is there another option?" I asked Esme as she stood at the door, hand on hip.  
"Hi, mum!" Edward waved out of my door.  
"Come out here." She huffed, stepping away from the door. I sent Edward a nervous look and he chuckled. "Poor child, out here in this cold weather." She said peeking into the backseat before reaching in and getting Emily's sleeping form out. Edward and I both stepped out of the car and once he joined me in front of his mother she passed Emily to him.  
"Now." She sighed; making sure Emily looked comfortable before pulling me against her tightly and kissing my forehead. "What makes you think you're allowed to just disappear for months?"  
"I've called." I said, blush tinting my cheeks.  
"Hi, mum." Edward said, looking disgruntled as his mother paid me more attention. Momma's boy.  
"Not enough." She sighed, with a shake of her head, ignoring him once more. She pulled back a little to get a good look at me and raised her eyebrows. "You look thinner. Have you been eating?"  
"Of course." I said with a roll of my eyes. Esme had been like this for as long as I'd known her. Concerned, and motherly… Until you got a few drinks into her. She was always a hoot, but the woman was wild when drunk. Esme Cullen is the reason Edward is the way he is, silly, passionate and just… him. His mother was the female version of him, it was really funny to see them together.  
"Well-" She shook her head and hugged me again.  
"Hi, mum." Edward said furrowing his eyebrows in mock anger. Esme stopped speaking to me and turned towards her son, mirroring that disgruntled look.  
"I will get to you. Hold your horses." She said before pursing her lips and looked back to me with a slow, dramatic turn. "This one's just as impatient as his father. Excuse me while I coddle him." She said sarcastically before passing Emily to me and doing just what she'd joked about.  
"How are you, honey?" She asked, her tone softer than when she'd spoken to him earlier. She gave him a once over, "You look good." He blushed and waved her off, making her giggle and pull him into a hug. "I missed you too, my sweet boy. You need to come visit more too." She slapped his shoulder a lot harder than was acceptable for a playful slap.  
"Jesus, Mum." He yelped moving from her to hide behind me.  
"Well, come on in. Breakfast is probably already cold now." She wrinkled her nose and took Emily from me, letting her rest her little head on Esme's shoulder. "But that's what microwaves are for!" She grinned jokingly and headed up the porch stairs. Edward wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me in closely behind his mother's back.  
"See, it's all good." He kissed my forehead loudly and Esme turned at the noise, giving us a knowing smile. Esme led us into the kitchen before dismissing Edward to go hang up our coats and then put Emily on the bed in Esme's room. She sat me down at the table and started dishing out food to the three plates.  
"So you and Edward, huh?"  
"Me and Edward what?" I asked fidgeting in my seat as she moved around me. I felt useless and rude but when I stood she snapped and pointed back at my seat.  
"You two are going to get married and give me some grandchildren soon, right?" She asked bluntly, sitting neatly in the chair across from me.  
I choked on nothing and ran my hand through my hair. "Uh, well…" Edward strode confidently into the kitchen, pulling out the seat at the head of the table.  
"Where's dad?" He asked, not seeming to realize we'd been speaking.  
"He's in the bathroom. I think he ate something last night that didn't quite agree with him and now it's caught up to him."  
"Okay…" Edward said looking down at his plate and then around the table. "So is he not joining us?" His eyes darted to mine and I bit my lip again. Carlisle not being here kind of defeated the purpose.  
"No, he's coming. He just won't be eating." She said before putting her hands in her lap. "So Bella, how're things at Cullen and Co?"  
"Great, I really enjoy it there." I said simply, she smiled brightly with a nod and Carlisle walked in in flannel pajamas.  
"Ah…" He groaned, looking almost nothing like the clean, put together man I worked with. He looked… terrible. Dark bags, his eyes rimmed with red, his skin was even a sickly yellow looing color.  
"There's my ray of sunshine." Edward said smiling at his father from his chair. Carlisle scowled at him before coming over and making a point to hug me and kiss my forehead.  
"Why couldn't we have one like you?" He asked rhetorically, shooting Edward another glare. He took his place next to Esme who patted his leg comfortingly.  
"Join hands." Esme softly ordered, holding out her own hands. We obeyed and Carlisle blessed the food weakly before we all chorused 'amen'. We all dug in as Carlisle took his temperature with his hand.  
"I don't think I can go into work tomorrow, Es." He said softly, leaning over in his seat. She looked to him and furrowed her eyebrows, chewing slowly.  
She took a moment to swallow before speaking, "How could you possibly know what you'll feel like tomorrow?" She asked softly, touching his cheek. "You don't have a fever..."  
"Dad, we all know it's just a hangover." I didn't… "You'll live." He said with a shake of his head.  
"I'm actually sick, Edward." He rolled his eyes and turned to me. "I'll talk to you, since they don't seem to care about my well-being." I chuckled and looked to see Esme roll her eyes and Edward shake his head. "We know that you two have come to tell us something, so go on."  
"How do you know we don't just want to visit?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow. Edward kicked in a little, "Yeah" but I didn't acknowledge him.  
"Because, if you would have come to visit you would have dropped by without warning." She said before turning her gaze to Edward. "Tell me I'm wrong." She challenged.  
"You're right, we just came to tell you that-" his eyes met mine and Carlisle sighed.  
"I knew it was coming." I lifted an eyebrow as Carlisle turned to Edward.  
"We support you." He said with a forced smile. Edward cocked his head to the side with furrowed eyebrows before giving him a smirk.  
"Thank you?" Esme looked between the two of them and then to me.  
"What?" She asked. Carlisle leaned over and whispered in his wife's ear and she shook her head, slapping his leg.  
"They're dating, he's not gay!" She growled.  
"How'd you know?"  
"I've assumed for some time, but you saying you needed to make an announcement just confirmed my suspicions." She stood and Edward and Carlisle stood with her. "You two sit." She waved a hand at them and went to hug Edward tightly.  
"I'm happy for you, my sweet boy!" She peppered his cheeks with kisses and he mustered up the ability to look annoyed at the attention he loved. "Finally you came to your senses!" She squeezed his cheeks and brought his face down to kiss his forehead.  
"Thanks, Mum." He said pulling her in for a hug. Carlisle smiled at me and jerked a thumb at Edward and his mom.  
"Such drama queens." He reached out and touched my hand. "Congratulations. So, I'm assuming we'll be seeing you for Christmas this year?" He smiled, looking twenty years younger just by displaying Edward's crooked smile. I swooned because, twenty years of knowing him or not, he was still just as handsome as his son.  
"Thank you." I smiled before having arms wrap around my neck and hug me tightly. "And of course, I'd love to come." I smiled brightly, not even offering my parents a thought as I accepted.  
"This is so great!" Esme said before clapping. She looked as though we'd announced our engagement or something… But after twenty years of us knowing each other I guess this was the equivalent to us getting married in her eyes. Esme flitted around the room with a large smile on her face for the rest of her meal. She moved around the table, giving occasional hugs. The rest of us chuckled at her excitement as we watched. As soon as we finished the meal, an equally happy Carlisle returned to his room after another round of hugs, telling us that he wasn't feeling too hot.  
"Oh, I wish you all could stay longer." Esme pouted, kissing my cheek and then Edward's. She had a meeting with a customer about interior decorations, on a building that Edward's team finished about a week ago. Her business was a sister company of Carlisle's; her company being in interior design. They often passed off customers to each other, and were doing extremely well.  
"Me too." I said hugging her tightly.  
"Well," She sighed, "you two go on and get ready and I'll get the little one up." She patted Edward's cheek and moved to her bedroom.  
"Well." Edward sighed, rocking back onto his heels. "That went well." I smiled and he put his hands on my hips, leading me into the foyer. "If the meeting with your parents goes this well life will be perfect. Will you grab my keys, honey?" I nodded and went to the small table he'd dropped them on earlier.  
Something green and red with my last name prominently displayed caught my eye on the small table next to the closet. As Edward helped me into my jacket I took the opportunity to lean in and get a better look. My parents smiling faces were on the front, looking equally as happy as they did when I when I was in the pictures.  
"What's wrong?" Edward asked from behind me.  
The Christmas cards were always a family tradition and I guess they were cutting that off too.  
Edward must have seen what I was staring at because he picked it up, holding it up for both of us to see.  
"Your parents are having others over for Christmas?"  
"Apparently?" I whispered feeling a pang of my heart as we looked at the card. Edward's eyebrows furrowed and he turned to me.  
"You didn't know about this?" I shrugged and shook my head.  
"I-" I gulped, "I wasn't invited..." I frowned down at the card.  
"Damn, baby, I'm sorry." Edward sighed, tugging a hand through his hair.  
I set the card down and smiled sadly. "It's fine, baby. No big deal." I lied. "I'm coming here for Christmas anyway, I wouldn't have been able to go." I shook my head.  
"You're okay?" He asked, searching my eyes.  
"Of course." Another lie.  
He pursed his lips, "Let's get out of here." I nodded and he rubbed my back, dropping a kiss on my neck. "No matter what shit your parents try to pull, you've always got me." He said seriously.  
"Me too!" Emily piped up, just entering the room. I smiled and kissed Edward's cheek before squatting and opening my arms for Emily who ran into them.  
"Thanks, Em-bear!" I squealed in her ear, making her giggle. When I stood, I brought her with me, propping her on my hip. Edward was giving us a strange look and when I lifted my eyebrow he snapped out of it.  
"What's wrong?" I asked.  
"I don't know." He sounded exasperated, "I'm kinda nervous..."  
"About what?"  
"You." My head pulled back on its own accord.  
"Why me?"  
"Let's just get out of here." He shook his head. I nodded and he pulled Emily into his arms turning for the door. I looked back at the invitation and went to put it on the table, but then I saw two other invitations of the same kind, probably for Edward and Emmett, and I tucked the one I held into my pocket.  
I needed to speak with my parents.

-/-

_**I hope you all enjoyed!**_

_**Leave a review and I'll tease!**_


	14. Chapter 13

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk up with you, babe?" Edward said looking up at my building through the front window. I nodded and rolled my eyes.

"I'm fine, you get her home." I leaned across the console between us to peck his lips. "What are you so worried about?" He shook his head and cupped my cheek, his eyes boring into mine.

"I love you." I smiled and the edges of his lips quirked up.

"I love you too." I whispered.

"Bye, Aunt Bella…" Emily whispered in her sleep. I turned and smiled at the cutie before kissing two of my fingers and touching them to her cheek.

"Bye bye, honey." I said quietly before lifting an eyebrow at Edward. "Can I go now?"

"Why don't you spend the night with me?" He asked, "You can help Emily with all her girl things."

"She's four, she has no girl things." I said rolling my eyes. "You'll be okay." I opened the door and had a leg out when he reached out touching my arm.

"Bella, I have a bad feeling."

"It's probably the cheesey eggs." I said with a pout. "You over did it with the cheese." I reached over and rubbed his stomach.

"Then you can take care of me." He said as though he was gifting me with the duty of staying with him as he pooped.

I sighed, "Edward-" He took my arm and pouted, widening his eyes.

"Please?"

"You really don't want me to go up do you?" I sighed feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket. He shook his head and grabbed my hand, pulling it up to his lips. "Fine. Let's go back to your place." I closed my door and he let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank you," He with a relieved smile, I pulled my seatbelt across my chest buckling it in. "It'll be fun, babe. We can watch The Notebook and cuddle."

"Okay…" I said turning to look at Emily who blinked sleepily at me.

"Can I come?" She asked quietly.

"Of course," Edward said, looking at her in the rearview mirror as he started the car up. "We wouldn't think of watching it without you." She smiled drowsily before nodding off in her booster seat.

"You're good with her." I observed, watching as her mouth dropped open as she snored.

"Yeah, I'm good with everyone. It's an Edward thing." I rolled my eyes even though he was right. "Everyone loves me."

"Not Ruth." I teased, referring to her many sexual harassment complaints.

"Ruth loves me too, I'm pretty sure she just complains to make the other ladies in the office jealous because she's getting more from me than they are."

"You're a little full of yourself aren't you?"

"Not a little, _very_." He smiled, "But I also have a lot to be… full about?" He furrowed his eyebrows and I chuckled.

"Sure." I said shaking my head, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at the text Alice sent me.

_**Don't go home. –A**_

"Huh… Alice said not to go home too." I said sticking my tongue in my cheek. Edward didn't look shocked and I frowned. He shrugged and squinted out the windshield.

"What the hell?" He whispered, leaning forward. Edward pulled into the right lane of the road, letting the fleet of police cars pass us, going in the direction we'd just came from.

"What if they're after me?" I whispered loudly making Edward look at me from the corner of his eye before collapsing into laughter.

"Why in the world would they be after you?" He asked before coughing to cover his laughter.

"Katrina thinks I'm a drugging dealing, diseased, baby daddy… Maybe she got fed up with hearing your whining that she just called the cops."

"I'm pretty sure she realizes I'm not serious."

"Does she?"

"She doesn't really look like the brightest bulb in the pack…" He said raising his eyebrows and biting his lip. "She doesn't seem like the tattle type though."

"Oh my god, you're harboring a fugitive." I gasped, slapping my hands over my mouth. Edward started laughing again and I dropped my head back. "If I go down you're coming with me. You realize that right?"

"Yeah, so is Emily. It's a teamwork thing." I held my hand up to my forehead and rested my head against the window. "But I think we're safe, me and Emily. It can't be too hard to convince them that we aren't citizens."

"That's even worse." I said rolling my eyes.

"They can take it up with England."

"I don't think that's how it works, Edward. You've been a citizen since we were in first grade."

"I've still got the accent. I can make it work. And if the officers are women I can probably get you off too." I shook my head.

"I can't go to jail, baby." I whispered. "I always drop the soap." He reached over and patted my thigh as we turned onto his street.

"It's okay, honey. I'll get you some soap on a rope for Christmas." He laughed, his eyes starting to water. He pulled up his long driveway and I gasped.

"My life sucks." I frowned, stepping out of the car when he parked it.

"Bella, your parents _fund_ the police station. You aren't going to jail unless you rob every bank in Washington and Oregon." He rolled his eyes as he opened the back door, pulling Emily out. I grabbed her bag and reached for her once I was close enough to Edward.

"Switch me, you have the keys." I said, he handed the little girl to me and I adjusted her on my hip, kissing her hair.

"You just want to get in the house so they don't find you." He laughed.

"It's not funny, Edward!" I hissed with wide eyes.

"Okay, baby." He said leading us up the steps to his front door. He quickly pushed it open and let Em and I go in ahead of him. I kicked off my shoes, and pulled Emily's off too, even though she wasn't walking.

"Where do you want me to put her?" I asked, flipping on lights as I went.

"In the guest room next to mine. I can take her; I know she's gotten heavy." Heavy was an understatement. The kid was growing like a weed and she didn't look half as heavy as she actually was. It was like her bones were made out of cement. I passed her back to him and he smirked before quickly taking the stairs.

I headed into the family room and sat in front of the television, turning on the news. They were doing some live coverage of a prostitution bust and I frowned, flipping through channels to see if there was anything about my apartment building on the news. I sighed, feeling relieved when I found nothing.

"Bella, Emily wants you!" Edward yelled from upstairs, making me jump. I yelled back up and told him I was coming before hurrying to the guest room.

"She misses Rose." He said quietly as he passed me, I nodded and pushed open the door to the room. Emily sat up in the bed, crying softly.

"Hey, hey…" I said softly, going to the bed and crawling up next to her, pulling her into my arms. "Don't cry, Mommy and Daddy will be back tomorrow." She nodded and rested her head on my chest, her tears staining my shirt.

"I miss them." She cried, sniffling. I smiled at her adorable little accent. Just like her father and uncle it was strongest when she was upset.

"Do you want to sit with me and Uncle Edward? We're going to watch a movie."

"The Notebook?" She whispered sniffling as she wrinkled her nose.

"I hope he was just joking about that…"

"Daddy says Uncle Edward is the only one that likes that movie."

"Him and a bunch of middle aged women." I snickered and she giggled with me. "Come on, you can stay with us until ten."

"At night?!" She asked with wide eyes. I widened mine too, mimicking her excited expression.

"At night." I nodded and she clapped before scrambling out of the bed.

"I feel like a big girl!" She squealed, running into the hall. She yelped and I'm assuming Edward scooped her up, taking her by surprise. I walked out to see her over Edward's shoulder as she wiggled in his arms.

"She's going to stick with us." I said, pinching her cheek. Edward nodded before trotting down the steps as she giggled. We all plopped down in front of the television as Edward turned on the dvd player. I furrowed my eyebrows as the main menu for The Notebook came up.

"You watch it by yourself?" I asked as he pressed play and sat Emily between us.

"It's a great movie. That can't be said for too many American movies." He shrugged, tossing his arm over the back of the couch. My phone rang in my pocket and I pulled it out, sighing when I saw it was my mother.

"Where are you?" She asked sounding frantic.

"At Edward's, why?"

"Turn on the news. Your building was robbed, by armed gunmen." She informed, her voice once again fading into its usual emotionless drone. I bit my lip and tugged a hand through my hair.

"Every apartment?" I asked walking out of the family room. Edward looked up and cocked an eyebrow at me as I went.

"Every one." She said, "Luckily there were only two people in the building… I mean they were both shot but… whatever." I could almost hear her rolling her eyes.

"Are they okay?"

"Aren't you watching the news, Isabella?"

"No…"

"Well, I've got other business to attend to so you may as well just turn it on." She huffed instead of answering my question. My phone signaled that the call had been ended and I groaned.

"Edward, turn on the news."

"Babe, it's at the good part."

"My building was robbed."

"What?!" He flipped over to the news and leaned forward when the Anchorman started speaking about the happenings. The image on the tv switched to a live feed of the building, as they roamed the halls. I gasped at the destruction they showed, doors were knocked off hinges and shit was strewn everywhere. It took me awhile to realize that they'd been standing on my floor the entire time.

"_Katrina Dieters was shot here on the third floor after coming into contact with the robbers. She is said to be in critical condition and was rushed to the hospital only minutes ago_." The woman said pointing at Katrina's doorway, I bit my lip and Edward came to stand next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "_The second victim Janice Clay was shot and killed on the first floor of the building, only moments before the police arrived."_ I moved closer into Edward's side, realizing he'd saved my life tonight. If I'd have gone into that building I would have been gunned down like the other two women.

"Jesus..." Edward whispered, holding me a little tighter. My phone began ringing again in my back pocket but I was a little too shocked to speak.

How could I have come so close to the terrible fate Katrina and Janice suffered through and not have even realized?

I felt Edward's hand in my back pocket and let him pull out my phone.

"It's Alice." He said quietly, answering the phone. "Alice? It's Edward." He said before nodding and moving me to the couch as she spoke. "I'll be back." He told me, dropping a kiss on my head as he scooped up Emily up. She'd been staring at the television with her eyebrows furrowed. He didn't take her far, just by the dolls she'd left out. From there she wasn't able to see or probably hear the television.

"She's fine, we just barely missed it. Literally." He sighed into the phone raking his hand through his hair and biting his lip.

After he was gone I frowned, realizing they had moved on to covering the Hostess factory shutting down. I reminded the news and watched the entire story over again as the reality of the situation sunk in. I could have been killed tonight. My eyes widened further as I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees and cupping my gaping mouth.

"Alice said she's glad you're okay and that you headed our warnings. She said she loved you and if you needed a place to stay while all of this is getting settled, you can call her." I nodded, not really listening to what he was saying. He sat on the couch next to me and wrapped his arm around me again, tucking my head into the crook of his neck.

"Oh my god... Edward..." I whispered, sounding as shocked as I felt.

"You're okay, that's all that matters for now." He said softly, kissing my temple. "Of course, you'll be staying with me until things are safer over there." He lightly squeezed my bicep and I nodded.

"I almost got both of us killed..." I whispered, pulling away from him, realizing my stupidity. I'd put him in danger… him and Emily too.

_Holy fuck. _

My phone rang about three more times after that and Edward took the calls, one from my dad, one from Emmett and another from his parents. After assuring all of them he went back to holding and comforting me even though he was almost in the same boat as me. He put Emily to bed and responded to everyone, while I sat around, useless in my shock.

At around eleven o'clock he guided me from the couch back to his bedroom. He pulled out my yoga pants and tank, giving them to me so I could get comfortable. After we both changed he climbed into bed behind me and spooned me, the way he always has, and he stroked his hand up and down my arm, soothingly. I pulled his hand from my arm and pulled it around my torso, just wanting him to hold me.

He shocked me by not trying anything with me... Then again he understood that I just needed him in the moment as my best friend, not my lover.

"Everything will be just fine, baby." He whispered to me drowsily. "You know I'm here for you at any time."

I nodded and turned to look over my shoulder, "I love you." I whispered, staring into his deep green eyes.

He smiled, softly brushing a strand of hair out of my face, "I love you more than anything. Anything you need, honey…" He reminded, kissing my cheek. I wiggled impossibly closer to him and sighed as his arm tightened around me, making me feel safe.

"Thank you." I whispered, smiling because I knew he meant every word.

**I hope you all enjoyed!**

**Review = Tease**


	15. Chapter 14

Two weeks after the break in I was still staying with Edward, because I was too chicken shit to stay at my own apartment. He even offered to stay the night with me multiple times but I declined, not wanting to put either of us in danger. He meant too much to me for me to just have him sleeping around in dangerous places.

"Baby, as much as I love having you here- I think you need to face your fears and stay in the apartment for at least a night." He said over dinner. I sighed and swallowed the mouth full of lo mien.

"I'll be honest. I don't think I'm going to be able to go back in there." I started, blushing with embarrassment at how big of a wimp I was being. He cocked an eyebrow at me and I was quick to rush out, "I'm not forcing myself on you…" I cleared up, "I think I'm going to ask my parents to help me get another one…Somewhere safer." I mentally cringed just at the thought of asking them for anything. Of course it'd be a loan thing. I wasn't backing out on the whole being normal bit, I just needed help.

"Baby, I wouldn't mind if you stayed forever. That's not a problem." He chuckled, twirling a few noodles around his chopsticks. "I love having you here. But I know how hard it's been on you with all of your… _everything_ being at that shithole." I scowled at his nickname.

"I'm okay." I sighed, I'd been back and forth to that little place so many times in the past two weeks it was crazy. All of the cleanup and reorganizing, I did it all with someone else, be it Edward, Alice or Jasper. Rose, Edward's sister in law, came by to help, even though we didn't know each other too well. We were getting things done, despite my being nervous the entire time I was in the building.

All of a sudden everything started feeling dangerous about the little place. How high up from the ground I was. How rickety the fire escape had to me. How shitty my new locks were. How thin my replacement door was.

It was terrible.

"You're going to ask your parents for help?" Edward asked raising his eyebrows. "It's that serious?"

"You couldn't tell by my excessive perspiration and shaking every time we were within fifty feet of the damn place?"

"Baby, you always do those things around me." He winked and patted my knee. "I just assumed it was the face. You know how it is." He shrugged with a sigh, as though being gorgeous was such a stress on him. I chuckled at him and he reached into my plate with his chopsticks, grabbing a piece of sesame chicken.

"You suck," I whined, using my still wrapped chopsticks to slap at his hand.

"Yet you love me anyway." He made a peace sign and squinted his eyes shut as he duck faced.

"You're cute." I laughed, tossing my balled up napkin at him. He flinched as it hit his nose and I rolled my eyes.

"Tell me something I don't know." He said cockily with a dazzling smile. I shook my head and looked back down to the food, thinking about where I was going to go from here with the living situation. "So when do you want to start looking for a new place?"

"ASAP." I said quickly.

"Well, I know the complex up the street has an opening. That way you can be closer to me. "

"We both know I can't afford to live anywhere near you." I sighed, falling onto my back. He turned and laid back so that we were parallel to each other.

"I can raise your salary." He said as though it weren't a big deal.

"I am already grossly overpaid for what I do." I sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I love you for everything you've done-"

"And here I thought you loved me for my looks." I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm.

"It is just a tad unfair though, that I'm being so highly paid because we're dating." I said, realizing for the first time.

"Please let's keep it PC, it's because _we're sleeping together."_ I nudged him with my arm and giggled.

"But anyway..."

"You know if you really want, I can dock your pay. But then you'd probably charge me with sexual harassment just like the others." He rolled his eyes.

"Not if you don't sexually harass me." I smiled at the ceiling.

"It'll be tough." His hand slipped under my shirt and he propped himself up on an elbow. "Especially when you look so harassable." He cupped me over my bra and I slapped his hand away.

"I think that's what perverts say..." I chuckle, kissing the hand that I'd just pushed away.

"Probably, but we've gotten off topic again, baby."

"Huh?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"We were talking about you moving closer to me."

"Oh yeah, well I'd have to ask my parents for _all_ of the trust just to rent a studio apartment, in this area." I rolled my eyes. "That won't happen."

"Let me help you get it." He shrugged, tossing an arm over my waist.

"Oh _hell_ no!" He must have been crazy. There was no way I was blowing more of his money, I was already saving up most of my paycheck and putting the money away safely to give to him later. Of course he didn't know, nor would he, until I give him the money. "No way."

"Come on, I love you, let me do this for you-"

"No. I'll work things out." I tried to assure him, he gave me a doubtful look and I sighed. "Come on, Edward, I don't want to talk about this." I sat up and fidgeted with the plates, not really doing anything with them.

"Fine, let's talk about your parents-"

"Let's not." I said, pursing my lips.

"We have to tell them at some point, honey."

"They won't care..." I lied, knowing they, well, my mother, would be elated. But only because he's got money. I think Renee's worst nightmare is me marrying someone that wasn't a first class citizen. Hell, they wouldn't even have to be a citizen... Just rich.

"Well if them not caring is the worst that could happen, that's pretty good, right?" He said smiling as he grabbed my hand.

"They could disapprove." I mumbled and he rolled his eyes, sitting up and scooting toward me.

"Positivity, babe. Don't be so pessimistic." I nodded and gave him a weak smile. "They really have nothing to disapprove anyway. I'm pretty fucking great so..." I laughed and he kissed my knuckles.

"True, they'll do something... I just," I bit my lip. "I know my mother. She'll mess something up."

"Optimism, honey." He growled, wrapping his arms around my waist and playfully nipping at my neck. I giggled and fell to the side as he crawled over me.

"Hey, you'd be pessimistic if you grew up with my parents too."

"Hash tag rich kid problems." He teased, laughing into my neck.

"You know what I'm talking about." I sighed.

"Baby, I don't think your parents hurt you personally but somewhere along the road you gained a heart, that's where you differ. That difference is why you fight all the time."

"Mom is manipulative, too." He nodded, brushing my hair over my shoulder.

"I agree, but I think this time we spend bitching about Renee would be much better spent making out."

"I don't bitch, Edward." I sighed rolling my eyes as he kissed the corner of my mouth. "I complain." He pulled back with a smirk.

"Because bitching is for the poor kids." He said, his snooty tone colored with disdain. "You sound just like Mama Swan." I gasped and slapped his shoulder.

"Don't ever!" I huffed. Edward lifted an eyebrow and shrugged. "I said nothing about poor kids!"

"You implied it."

"No, I didn't." I narrowed my eyes. "Why would I?" He shrugged and I sat up moving away from him.

"Don't be mad, baby." He said pouting up at me as I stood. I picked up our plates and took them to the sink with a scowl.

"Please don't compare me to my mother." I turned from the sink, leaning against it as I spoke.

"Okay, sorry." He sighed, bringing our glasses over and placing them behind me. It was quiet for a moment as we both cleaned up around the kitchen. I looked up as he bumped my arm with his. He held out his first finger and lifted an eyebrow at me. "I won't do it again."

We held eye contact for a second before his eyes darted to his finger and back.

"Promise?" I asked, the corners of my mouth lifting.

"Promise." He said with a slight nod. I linked my first finger with his, he smiled.

"Well," he sighed, "you know what that means?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"That we had our first fight as a couple so it's time for makeup sex?" I guessed, using our still linked fingers to pull him closer, until we were nose to nose. He gave me a serious case of bedroom eyes and licked his bottom lip.

"I knew there was a reason I love you." He gave me a sexy smirk before bending at the knees, picking me up and slinging me over his shoulder.

"Bella…" I groaned as my shoulder was shaken.

"Go away." He gripped my hips and easily flipped me on to my back. I winced as cold air hit my bare chest and crossed my arms over my chest. "Why do you hate me?"

"You couldn't be farther off; I actually love you very much, dearest." His finger trailed down my cheek and dropped a sweet kiss on my lips. "It's too early for you to be so cute." I bitched, running my fingers through his damp hair.

"It's also too early to be so sexy." He nuzzled his face against my neck and I flushed. "Somehow…" He pulled back and nipped at my lips. "I manage to pull off _both_ quite well." Oh god did he… Especially all wet and freshly showered.

"Ugh…" I pushed him away in faux annoyance.

"Bella…"

"Edward?"

"Is there a reason you won't open your eyes?" He asked softly, his minty breath caressing my cheeks. I sighed and made no effort to open my eyes.

"I don't want to wake up."

"Well…" He whispered, sitting next to me and brushing my hair from my face. "We've got to go into work. Papa Cullen is holding a meeting."

"Do I have to?" I asked immaturely, cracking open an eye to look at him. He nodded and blew a raspberry against my cheek.

"Well if you don't go, who am I going to shirk my responsibilities with?" My eyes almost crossed as I watched him get closer to me. He moved until his body hovered over mine, I nipped at his lips and smiled.

"I'm supposed to keep you on track, handsome." I whispered, cupping his cheek. Carlisle has actually approached me about three days into my working there and he'd asked me to try and keep Edward on track. Of course, Edward, being the professional he was, didn't need my help and had been doing just fine.

"Are you now...?" He pouted and rubbed the tip of my nose with his. "That's not very much fun." I wrinkled my nose and shrugged. He laughed and pulled me into a hug, crushing my chest to his.

"Now we have a few options," he shifted and I was then able to feel his rock solid-ness press against my thigh. "I can ravage you now, then we can go shower." I nodded, waiting for the other options. "You can shower, then I can ravage you. Or I can ravage you as we shower." I smirked and leaned forward, massaging him through the sheets.

"How about..." I kissed his lips, then his neck. "I give you a good morning kiss, then we shower and then work."

"Good morning kiss?" He frowned and I nodded, pushing him onto his back.

I dropped butterfly kisses down his chest until I reached his beautiful long cock.

"Kiss, blow... They're all the same, right?" I questioned innocently, watching his face from under my lashes as I enveloped him in my mouth. I rubbed my tongue under the head of his cock for a second before suddenly taking him all in. Edward hissed and called my name as I groaned around him.

I moaned in delight at the salty musky taste of his precum as it graced my tongue. Edward's eyes were shut and he bit his lip, making my thighs clench. Every part of my boyfriend was just fantastic, I thought as I bobbed up and down on his cock.

I really didn't know why sucking him off wasn't more of a frequent thing... He was delicious, both in taste and looks. I should have been on my knees for him long before that.  
He looked like pure sin as he moaned and grunted. His hand had slipped into my hair and he helped guide me on him.

"Your mouth... It's perfect." I hummed around him and reached under to play with his balls. I used my free hand to stroke his thigh as I immersed myself in him. He pulled my head away from his cock as he began thrusting at little more sporadically. His hips jerked and bucked then he came in four long spurts, landing them on my chin, chest and cheek.

"Holy _fuck!_" He grunted, riding out his orgasm and looking at me. When our eyes locked I was feeling bold and I trailed a finger from my chin up to my lips and sucked on the cum coated digit. I moaned at his creamy essence and an animalistic growl ripped from him.

"You're going to kill me, woman!" He huffed before pulling me up towards him. I smiled as he attacked my lips, kissing the living shit out of me. "You know, I think we should definitely call in sick." He said with a nod. I giggled and grabbed a tissue, wiping myself up.

"What about that meeting with Papa Cullen?"

"Now you're killing my buzz." He pouted, earning another peck.

"Sorry!" I sang with a wink as I pushed away from him and danced toward the bathroom. He grunted and fell back on the bed.

"I love you!" I called, stopping in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Yeah, yeah." He chuckled and I turned, closing the door.

**I hope you all enjoyed!**

**Leave me a review!**


	16. Chapter 15

_**I apologize for the lateness and lack of review replies :( Stupid RL is stressing me out and I'm sleep deprived, so this was the only time I could find to update.**_

_**Sorry again D:**_

I snatched my phone off of the table as it continuously buzzed. Angela lifted an curious eyebrow and I mouthed "sorry". I quickly unlocked my phone to see four unread messages from Edward.

_**Bella -E**_

_**Bella!-E**_

_**BELLA-E**_

_**BELLA!-E**_

_What could you possibly want?-B_

_**Your love-E**_

_I love you-B_

_**Aw thanks babe, love you too!- E**_

I rolled my eyes and set my phone on the table. It vibrated again and I flinched, snatching it up again.

_**Bella-E**_

_Yes?-B_

_**I miss you-E**_

_I'm literally sitting right next to you-B_

_**But I can't talk to you-E**_

_You're going to get me in trouble -B_

_**You're fine-E**_

I didn't respond and felt him nudge my arm. I smirked and rolled my eyes.

"Meet me in the bathroom in five." He whispered, resting his hand on my thigh. My breath hitched as the skin he touched tingled excitedly. I took a deep breath and steeled myself, turning towards my gorgeous boyfriend.

"No." I whispered with what I hoped came off as a stern look. Carlisle turned from his presentation and lifted an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, frowning at us. I shook my head quickly and went back to taking notes for Edward, who wasn't listening. That is, after I pushed his hand from my leg.

I pinched his leg under the table and my phone vibrated once more.

_**If you're having problems, just talk to us. It's not hard to file a sexual harassment charge- David**_

My eyebrows lifted as I stared at the text. On one hand, it kind of pissed me off that all of these fuckers were out to get my boyfriend… Actually, that was the only hand. It just made me want to throttle this asshole for texting me. I rolled my eyes up from the message to glare at David. He lifted his eyebrows, almost looking eager. I let my eyes fall closed as I shook my head and mouthed 'No.'

I turned my unbelieving gaze to Edward.

"What?" He whispered. I tilted the screen towards Edward, watching as his eyes flitted over the screen. He furrowed his eyebrows and sat up straighter in his chair, glaring over at David.

_**Ah fuck him-E**_

_If you would, he'd probably get off of your back- B_

I smiled cheekily as he read the messages. He didn't seem to be phased though as he shot one right back.

_**Nah… Imagine grabbing that toupee in the throes of passion. That's a total wood killer.-E**_

I looked over at David who, despite his young age, did seem to be wearing a toupee. I pursed my lips to keep from laughing as I turned back to Carlisle. We sat silently for another five minutes, listening to Carlisle go on and on about what a client wanted for his art studio. It was all quite uninteresting, especially since I knew Edward's, and my, by association, being at this meeting was just pretense. He wouldn't be working with this client at all, due to his taking on a heavier work load recently.

_**Bella, I need you -E**_

I stared down at the text and let out a strained sigh. The last thing Edward needed was for the two of us to get caught doing the nasty. He knew how hard it was for me to resist him, but of course that's why he did this. He loved to see me squirm.

_No fornication in the office -B_

_**Hey I pay you to assist me, and Little Edward needs your assistance -E**_

_You can't try to put a good name on prostitution, Edward -B_

_**If you do this I'll tattoo your name on my dick- E**_

I let out a soft snort that drew Angela and David's attention. Edward tapped my thigh with the back of his hand and I turned to see him silently snickering.

_You do that for every girl who fucks you? -B_

_**Yeah, my dick is actually starting to look like a twelve year olds arm cast -E**_

I snorted out a laugh and smacked a hand over my mouth. Edward smirked up at me and winked. Angela smirked across the table without looking directly at us and David let out a little huff.

_That's so hot why don't you say things like that in the bedroom?-B_

_**I find it hard to say anything when you're lying naked under me-E**_

My eyes snapped up from the message and my cheeks filled. Edward sat up straighter in his chair, tossing me a smirk before turning to look at his father. I bit my lip and shifted in my chair.

_**Speaking of you laying under me naked…-E**_

Need started stirring in the pit of my stomach and I let out a harsh breath through my nose.

_You're insatiable-B_

_**You are too. You're just better at hiding it. –E**_

I lifted an eyebrow at the message before turning it towards him. He scooted his chair further under the table and grabbed my hand from my lap. I bit my lip as he gently ran his thumb over the palm of my hand and up my thumb before he pulled my hand to his lap, discreetly. My eyes moved nervously around the room as he pressed his hand to the back of mine, guiding our hands to his rock solid cock, stroking the length slowly. My fingers, my heart and my vagina begged me to continue with this, to work the shit out of him while we sat in this boring his meeting. My body almost won out, as my hand left his to slide down and cup his balls.

He bit his lip and sat forward in his seat, his right hand going to his forehead, his elbow on the table, shielding the rest of the room from seeing his eyes flutter shut. His left hand scribbled across the notepad as he pretended to take note, for the first time in the meeting. I smiled at the wonky way he held his pen in his left hand, he was anything but ambidextrous I noted as the pen fell easily from his grip.

I looked up to a slide of hand sketched blueprints that Carlisle had drawn out while I massaged his son under the table. My hand slipped up his length and I bit my own lip as Edward rapidly hardened beneath my hand. Mental images of his naked cock, hard and leaking had me squeezing my legs shut, as I ended up just a worked up as he was. I knew I'd most likely have to stop when his leg started shaking and his back stiffened. When he involuntarily bucked into my hand I yanked it away, not wanting him to cum in his pants.

His eyes flashed open, meeting mine beneath his hand. I squeezed my hand shut, already missing the warmth from his cock. He blinked rapidly for a second before shifting back in his chair and pulling out his phone again. As he most likely texted me I cast a cautious gaze around the room. Everyone was still focused on Carlisle, and Carlisle himself was engrossed in his slides.

_**Now. Get up. –E**_

My nipples tightened to the point of aching at his command. It was ridiculous how worked up I was by him and his messages.

_Edward, no- B_

_**I need you -E**_

_Edward.-B_

_**I'm about to come just thinking about it -E**_

My eyes fluttered shut for a second and his hand found its way back to my thigh. I had already soaked the crotch of my panties and I was too far gone to push his hand away. I couldn't resist.

_What is it you're thinking about? -B_

_**Your tight little pussy just begging for my attention-E**_

I swallowed thickly and heard him clear his throat from my side. I kept my gaze forward, afraid of what would happen if I were too get locked in his sultry green gaze. His hand found its way back to my thigh and I turned to look at him. He lifted an eyebrow and his eyes flickered to his crotch. Mine shamelessly followed and then my hand. He smiled as I traced the outline of his cock over his pants, before jerking against my hand. I faced forward as I felt his eyes trail down my torso, before locking on my breasts, or more specifically my nipples. They stood at attention, taking careful notice as his tongue dragged itself along his bottom lip.

Edward lifted my hand from his crotch and put it back in my lap. I lifted an eyebrow and he coughed loudly, getting his father's attention. He made some dramatic excuse to the room before exiting. Once he was out of my sight my phone vibrated.

_**You were supposed to follow me babe.-E**_

I looked up to see the others staring at me wide eyed.

"Maybe someone should make sure he's okay?" He looked to David who reddened and shook his head. I slid my chair back and stood.

"I'll go." I sighed, collecting my things and the ones Edward left behind.

"Tell Edward I'll email him the rest of the slides." Carlisle said with a nod in my direction. I nodded back and left the room quickly.

I headed straight to Edward's office. The windows were paneled shut so I wasn't able to see inside. I knocked and heard Edward mumble a strained, "Who is it?"

"Bella." I said, cracking the door open. The room was dark, except for the small lamps he had strategically placed around the office. The blinds were pulled shut and Edward sat behind the desk, hands out of sight.

"Thank god." He hissed, pushing back from his desk to reveal the hand that was stroking up his cock. "Come here, baby. God you're driving me crazy." He said lowly, still stroking himself. My eyes locked on the motion, unable to pull myself from the delicious haze. I turned to make sure I'd locked his door before spinning back towards him.

I gasped; realizing that he'd moved much closer to me in the time it took for me to lock the door. He brushed the hair off of my shoulder when I faced him again, his half lidded eyes focused on my neck.

"I think I deserve some props," He said, threading his fingers through my hair, slowly tilting my head to the side, "for managing to not throw you down and fuck the shit out of you in front of all of those people." I hummed with a nod, my eyes fluttering shut as Edward dipped his head to press his soft lips against my neck. "And," His right hand drifted up the center of my torso, flicking open buttons as he went, "for not cuming in my pants when these made their little debut." My back arched as his thumb made its way across my nipple, caressing it through my bra.

Both of our heads snapped towards my office as my phone started to ring. I caught his eye as he moved away from my neck, silently asking for instruction. As hot as this was, it could be important, we were at work after all.

"Answer it." He whispered. I nodded and bit my lip before adjusting my unbuttoned top. He shook his head with a smirk and pulled the garment off of my shoulders, quickly flicking open the clasp on my strapless bra. My arms quickly shot up and I covered my chest, gasping at the onslaught of cold air. He held the items behind his back and I widened my eyes.

"Catch it before it stops ringing, babe." He said with a shake of his head.

"The window facing outside is open, Edward." I gasped, reaching around him.

"No one his high enough to see you. Get the damn phone." He snapped my bra against my ass and I jumped up, cupping it, leaving my chest open to his staring. He mouthed 'Go' and I darted for the phone.

"Mr. Cullen's office, Isabella Swan speaking." I answered steadily into the phone, lifting my arm to shield myself again. Edward sauntered in behind me and gestured to my seat, I furrowed my eyebrows and sat down on the cold leather.

"Hello, this is Kate Rochester. I'm calling to see if I can reschedule our next meeting together? I'm needed out of town that week." She said, sounding worn. I pulled out Edward's and my copy of his agenda. He had her scheduled for the upcoming week.

"Okay, Ms. Rochester, and when would you like to reschedule?" I asked trying to remain professional as Edward leaned against my desk, only a foot in front of me and pulled out his cock again, stroking it slowly. He stood so that my knees were between his legs.

"I was thinking the week after, on Wednesday." I looked through his agenda and found that day completely empty.

I set the book in my lap, "Hold on one second please."

"Sure." I put her on hold and set the phone to the side. I arched my back and pressed my breasts against his knees as I asked. He raked his hands through my hair, pushing it out of my face and pushing my head back. I sat up so that he had a better view of my chest and needy nipples. I bit my lip as he reached down and fondled the rock hard nub.

"Wednesday, the week after next, could you meet with Kate Rochester?" I asked and he nodded with a shrug, scooting forward on the desk to tap the tip of his cock against my flushed skin.

"Ms. Rochester?" I asked, picking up the phone again. Edward kicked it up a notch and licked two of his fingers before lowering them back to my nipple. His wet fingers deliciously twirled around my nipples and I bit my lip.

"Oh yes, yes. I apologize, I'm here." She said.

"The fifth works for Mr. Cullen." I informed as Edward pushed my breasts together. He leaned forward a bit with his hips and easily slipped his cock between my squished boobs.

"Alright, thank you." My mouth dropped open as I looked up at him. He'd tried it once before and I'd told him I wasn't a fan. It made me feel cheap to be honest.

"Have a nice day." I said, a little rudely before slamming down the phone. I slapped Edward's hands away from my tits and shot to my feet. "Edward, I already told you-"

"I know." He said with a roll of his eyes, ticking me off further. He reached down and grabbed the back of my thighs, taking me with him as he moved back to sit on the desk. He pulled my legs up higher so that I properly straddled his waist.

"And you did it anyway."

"I did it anyway." His hand slipped up around the back of my neck and pulled me to meet his lips. Our lips met hurriedly, not able to get enough of each other. I reached down and hitched my skirt up higher on my legs so that I could slide my core as close to him as possible. After I was pressed against him to my satisfaction I slowly started to roll my hips against him, my hands sliding into his hair.

My whole body felt on fire as his hands roamed up my back, down my legs, everywhere. He moaned loudly as my pussy grinded down on his bare cock, the wet underwear between us only dampening more.

"Look, I swear, I'll make up the foreplay to you tonight." He grunted after detaching his lips from mine. "Baby, I'll make it so good- but- I need to be _in_ you, right now." His fingers slipped between my legs and scooped my underwear to the side.

I reached down and grabbed his cock, running my finger across the tip before positioning it at my entrance. "Just fuck me." I whispered, resting my forehead against his as I sunk down on his thick cock. I bit my lip as he stretched and filled me I everyway. It always took me a second to get accommodated to him but today I didn't have the chance to do that. He was sliding out of me almost as soon as he was in me.

When he pushed me down again I moaned and grabbed his hands, pulling them from my hips. I lifted them to my breasts, just to make some time for me to get situated. I lifted up onto my knees and swirled my hips against his before lifting up until only the tip of him was in me.

"God, Bella." He groaned, I placed my hands flat against his still clothed chest and pushed him back on his desk. He leaned back, his eyes intense as they met mine. I bit my lips, our gazes still locked as I sunk back onto him.

"Oh m- so big." I whispered, still not fully adjusted, but way more comfortable. I whimpered at the friction as I bounced on his cock. My hands were braced on his chest as I used my knees to lift and drop my soaking pussy.

"Jesus…" He said, biting his bottom lip. I titled my head down to watch him disappear inside of me. He gathered all of my hair around his fist so that he could see to and groaned when he could. "Fuck, ride it, baby." I looked back up to him, watching him as he watched us. He was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen and he was mine.

Unf.

That though alone had me slamming down onto him harder, needing more friction, needing all of him. He moved his hands from the desk and my hair to grab my hips.

"Harder, gorgeous." He said with a heavy accent as he simultaneously thrust up and slammed me down. The contact was brutal, and oh so delicious. I cried out, cupping his jaw. He slammed us together roughly a few more times in rapid succession and I screamed out, my hand and nails dragging down his cheek.

"Fuck!" He grunted before sitting up and moving us off of the desk. He quickly moved us, turning me to face the desk as he got behind me. He put his hand in the middle of my back and shoved me onto the wood, my breast smashed against the hard surface. I shut my legs, shifting and rolling my hips so that I got some type of friction for my aching cunt.

"Oh yes…" I moaned wantonly as he used his knees to push my legs apart. He lined himself up with me once again and then forcefully pushed into me from behind. I screamed out, slamming my hand down onto the wood, scraping my nails down the glossy surface. He felt _so _much bigger this way, and my baby was nothing to scoff at from the start.

His hips drove into mine with such a force that I was sure there would be an indent of my hip bones on the desk. "Faster, baby!" I moaned out, bucking back into him.

"Shh, they're going to hear us." He growled, bending his knees and hitting me at a totally different angle. The boy knew what he was doing.

"I couldn't give less of a fuck." I moaned out, my chest rubbing roughly against the desk as he fucked me. "Oh, _Oh!_" I cried as he pushed me so close to the edge. His hand snaked around the front of me, over my stomach and down until he reached my clit.

"Yeah, baby." He whispered as he dipped his middle finger down between my legs to wet it enough to massage my clit.

"So good," I moaned again, listening to the sound of our sex. Any other time it would probably disgust me, but now, it was sexier than you would believe.

"You're a wet one aren't you?" He grunted before his finger left my clit. He grabbed my hair and turned my head to the side enough so that I could see him slid his glistening finger into his mouth, moaning as he cleaned me off of him. "So fucking good. I'm eating it when we get home." He said, my eyes rolled into the back of my head out his words. I was easily thrown over the edge when he tapped my clit soon after.

The relieving sensation had me clawing the shit out of my desk, as I bucked back onto him. I soon pulled him over the edge with me, milking the fuck out of his cock as he spilled in to me in long streams. He collapsed against my back as he came, kissing my shoulder. I managed to grind against him a bit more and he bit the tender flesh of my shoulder.

"Well this is a little cliché…" He said slowly, still pressed against my back. "fucking my assistant on her desk." He chuckled quietly, burying his face in the side of my neck, kissing it sweetly.

"As long as your wife doesn't walk in." I whispered. He lifted himself off of me and collapsed back into my chair, taking me with him. I turned slightly in his lap, pushing my face into the warm skin on his neck.

"We're leaving early today." He whispered, turning his head to kiss the top of my head. "I just…"

"Want more sex?"

"A lot more." He laughed; I smiled and leaned back, cupping his jaw before gasping.

"Oh my god!" I gasped, looking at the four angry red marks down his cheek. There was no doubt that I broke the skin. He furrowed his eyebrows and I touched his other cheek. "I scraped your face."

He gasped, reaching up to touch his cheek. "Not the face! Baby if you mess this one up, you don't get another one." He smirked, not seeming to care about the fact that he looked like a victim of the Wolverine.

"No, really, honey… I'm so sorry." I cupped my mouth as my stomach sank and he chuckled shaking his head.

"Yeah, I know. I felt it when you did it… It was hot." I blushed and he pulled me down for a kiss. "I'll be okay, don't worry." I nodded and tried not to stare.

"What are you going to say when people ask questions?" I asked.

"That I'm really good in the sack." He lifted an eyebrow and kissed my nose. "Now hurry up so we can go home and get naked." He said, helping me stand on shaky legs and helping me straighten my skirt. He went back into his office for a moment before returning to me with my bra and shirt in hand.

"Actually, nah…" He handed me my shirt and withheld my bra. "I want to keep this. You look better without it." I reached for my bra and he moved it out of my reach, tucking it into his briefcase.

He helped me into my coat and slipped his on as well.

"What is everyone staring at?" I whispered, tightening my jacket around my shoulders as we stepped out of the office.

"Well, I'm sure it's too much for them to handle, seeing the two hottest people in the building all at once."

"I think they heard us."

"My office is sound proof." He looked over at me and then to the mirror in front of us. "Or maybe they're staring because we both look as freshly fucked as we are." He said with a wince as he took in our disheveled appearances.

"Edward!" I hissed as a pair of women walked past us, looking at Edward with admiration before glaring at me. I looked to him and he shrugged.

"It could be either really…"

~-()-~

**I hope you enjoyed!**

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**But please still review? It makes me happy and makes me push through my sleepiness to update!**


	17. Chapter 16

_**Hey Ladies,**_

_**Just going to be honest here, I'm posting a day early**_ **_because there's no way I'll have time for last chapters review replies. But thank you all, they all mean so much to me!_**

-/-~-\-

"The Cullen boy, huh?" Renee asked as she pulled me into the kitchen, so that we could sit and watch the servers work. I'd just walked into the door with Edward and after my announcement we were split up.

"He has a name, Mom." I said, pulling out my phone and spinning it on the counter. She shrugged and snapped at a woman making a pie.

"Do _not_ mess that up, or I'll have your job on the market in no time." She threatened, narrowing her eyes. I sighed and waited for my mother to stop harassing her workers.

"A name? It's like Edwin right?" She asked, not looking interested at all.

"Edward… you were literally around the Cullen's all of the time. How can you still not know his name?" I asked, shaking my head. It really didn't shock me, to be honest. The woman cared nothing for others or their interest.

"Doesn't matter, I know it now, right?" She shrugged. "This is good for all of us, honey. If you two stick it out long enough, your father and Carlisle might finally get on that merger. Do you know what that means?" She asked grabbing my shoulders. "It means that we could transform ourselves into billionaires, Isabella." I guess it was 'we' now that I could help her turn a profit, but when it comes to Christmas it's her and dad.

"Because money is all you care about…" I nodded and bit my lip. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"What? Did you want me to congratulate you?" She asked and I rolled my eyes, moving away from her. "Well congrats, you bagged a good one. You've made us proud." I could literally see green dollar signs popping up in her eyes as she smiled.

"Okay. Thanks." I sighed, standing and leaving the kitchen. I went to find my dad, weaving my way through the maze of halls until I found his den. I heard mom's heels clicking quickly behind me as she ran towards me.

"Isabella! Wait, where are you going?!" I sighed again and stopped, turning to face her as she pranced up to me. She stopped short of me, breathing heavily. After a minute of standing there watching her collect herself in silence I turned on my heel to leave. She grabbed the back of my shirt and I batted her hand away.

"You're going to stretch it out-"

"Who cares? It's cheap anyway." She huffed. "Isabella, look." She looked around the hall and I did too, spotting the door to dad's den. So close but so far at the same time. I tried to slyly inch my way to the door but Mom held me still.

"What?" I snapped and she dropped my arm, standing to her full height.

"What are you so snippy for? You just got here, so you can sit down and speak to your mother for a second."

"I have no interest in talking about how _rich_ you are, or how much money_ you_ can gain through _my_ relationship. You are the most self-centered person I've ever met." I huffed, turning toward the door again.

"It wouldn't be so offensive to you if you hadn't decided to cut yourself off."

"I didn't cut myself off. I'm making my own way." She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the parlor that I wasn't allowed in as a child and sat me on a rock hard couch.

"Well you're being ridiculous! You sit here and talk to me. I cancelled a meeting with my banker today for you. So you're going to talk to me." She snapped, I petulantly folded my arms and sat back on the couch with a scowl. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but it needs to stop."

"Oh my bad, next time I have an opinion, I'll keep it to myself. As long as it pleases you, mother." She narrowed her eyes.

"We should have cut you off a long time ago." She spat. "You've turned into nothing but a no-good spoiled brat." I rolled my eyes and clenched my jaw. My stomach twisted angrily, even though I tried to keep my composure.

"Darn, what would I do without your money?" I scoffed and she turned red, despite the dark spray tan.

"I don't know how you got to be this way, Isabella. You're such a disappointment. Your father and I have done nothing but love you and give you what you want…"

"Showering me with money and shit isn't the same as loving me." I laughed, almost hysterically. She flipped her bleached blonde hair over her shoulder and pursed her lips. "I don't have your money now and I'm pretty much eradicated from the family."

"You said you wanted no part of us."

"I said I didn't want your money!" I gasped with wide eyes. "But I guess that means the same thing to you."

"You're ridiculous, you're just as big of a part of the family as you always were."

"Mom, you didn't invite me to spend _Christmas_ with you." I said, swallowing a lump in my throat as she glared at me.

"Well you never _mentioned_ Christmas." She rolled her eyes, obviously caught. I pulled my purse into my lap and pulled out the invitation that Edward showed me.

"You sent out invitations to people we aren't even related to and you didn't even acknowledge me." I held up the happy card that held my parents smiling faces and held the Cullen's address. Of course I wasn't on the card either. It wasn't that I necessarily wanted my face mailed around the neighborhood, but Christmas cards had always been something we did as a family. It was like I was just cut out, and no matter how much it angered me, it hurt me twice as much.

"I didn't think you'd want to come." She rolled her eyes. "We can make room though if you'd like." She shrugged and looked down at her nails.

"You can _make room_." I scoffed. She looked at me as though I had just turned down her generous offer and I shook my head. She could _make room_ for her only child? It almost made me laugh.

"Well do you want to come or not?" She asked.

"You know, the Cullen's actually invited me before you. It wouldn't be very courteous to ditch the people who actually cared enough to ask." I growled, standing up. She too stood, blocking my exit. The door to the den opened and I could see Edward and my dad laughing as they left and headed down the hall.

Mom looked over her shoulder, seeing the guys before turning back to me with a gasp. "You choose them over your mother?"

"You weren't even going to _invite_ me!" I said, touching my chest. How in the world did she think she had the right to be angry with me, after not inviting me to a family event. This wouldn't be the first one either. I had been removed from the guest list at my aunts wedding earlier in the year, which was all my mother's doing.

She rolled her eyes, "Pish posh-"

"_No_. Not at all." I moved to the side to walk around her and she moved too. Edward and Dad's voices started to get closer after realizing we weren't in the kitchen.

"Well, we'll see if the Cullen's invitation is still open." She said before raising her voice. I lifted an eyebrow and she crushed me to her in a tight hug.

"You know, if you stay on track and get him to _marry_ you; you could get your trust and half of his." My eyes locked on Edward's as he rounded the corner with a tense jaw. My heart sunk as his eyes hardened almost immediately. My mouth fell open at my mother's words.

"Why…" I whispered, feeling like I'd been hit by a two ton truck. How someone could be so malevolent I'd never know… And to their own child?

Renee let go of me and flipped her hair over her shoulder as she looked at Edward. "Oh… Hi, honey." She sent him a sugary smile and patted my cheek. I shook my head and tugged my hand through my hair, keeping myself from hitting my mother.

I gasped and he sent me a disgusted glare. "Edward-"

"Uh, Charlie was getting worried, so he sent me to find you…" He cut me off his accent stronger than ever a dead give away as to how furious he was at the moment. He furrowed his eyebrows and rubbed the back of his neck. Dad came to stand next to Edward and his smile faded once he undoubtedly noticed the tension. Edward's eyes locked with mine with an angry flash.

I'd never seen Edward this mad at me. Of course this shit happened to him a lot, especially in college, girls just after him for his money. I'd seen him angry with them, but never me. It was terrifying and heartbreaking. How he could believe any of what Renee said hurt me. He knew me better than my parents or anyone else for that matter.

Charlie spoke but I didn't hear any of it. Renee left my side soon after my father spoke and they both exited the room.

"Edward, it's not-" He held up a hand and turned on his heel, leaving my sight. I felt as though I was glued to the floor, but I overcame it and grabbed my purse before hurrying after him. He stormed through the halls, twisting his keys around his finger as he went.

"She said that because she knew you were standing there!" I called out as I followed behind him. "She's angry because I choose to spend Christmas with you instead of her."

"Well of course you'd spend Christmas with me, how else would you get in well enough with my family for me to offer you a ring." He said, his tone deathly quiet.

"Edward, you know me. I would never-"

"You'd think that'd be one I haven't heard before… And yet, I've heard it to many times to count." He said tossing me a dirty look over his shoulder. I picked up the pace a bit and grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"And how many times have you heard it from a person you've been best friends with since first grade?"

"I thought I would never have to hear it from you." He said, his jaw ticking rapidly.

"Because the _last_ thing I want is your money." I told him, tears pricking at my eyes as he avoided meeting my eyes.

"I'm not going to be used by you, Bella." He said, his words so heavily accented that I almost couldn't understand him.

"I'm not using you! Edward, I love you! I'm with you because of that. Not because of any fucking money." I said honestly, cocking my head to the side as I tried to catch his eyes. His eyes flicked up to mine for a second and I could see why he had been trying to hide them. They were swirling with hurt and confusion.

"I need space." He said, pulling my wrist off of his and grabbing his coat. He reached into his pocket and stuck a wad of bills into my hand. "Call a cab for yourself." I looked at the money, almost as insulted as I was when I found out my family didn't want me. My eyes went glassy as I stared at the cash, hurt beyond belief.

"I don't want your fucking money." I said shoving it back at him. "I can't even…" He stuck it back into his pocket and pulled open the front door, slamming it behind him as he left. I tugged at the roots of my hair, hands shaking as I watched him get into the car and speed off.

Renee came out of the kitchen holding an apple. She looked out the window to see the driveway empty. She smirked and turned to me with a lifted eyebrow.

"I guess we will be seeing you this Christmas after all, Isabella."

~-!-~

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	18. Chapter 17

**I know y'all aren't too happy with Edward or Renee and I am gonna tell you right now this chapter won't really improve your opinion of them but don't give up! HEA for life! I assure you I didn't just throw that last chapter in because I was bored… This entire story is already all written out and this is a pretty important "plot twist"… **

**Read on!**

"Hello, Ms. Swan." Ruth greeted as I walked into the Cullen and Co. office building. Her smile faded as I neared the desk and I tried to offer her a smile, or at least an expression. "Are you alright?" She asked, standing from behind her desk.

"Yeah, thanks for asking. Did Mr. Cullen leave anything for me up here?" I asked, she nodded and kept her wary eyes on me as she lifted a file up.

"Is he sick or something?"

"I don't think so, why do you ask?"

"I was told that you two would be together at all times, but I'm only seeing _you_."

"Sorry to disappoint." I sighed, moving away from the desk and towards the elevator. Her eyes widened and she hissed something to Ciara, who also worked the desk, before hurrying towards me.

"No, no-" She stepped into the elevator with me. "That's not what I meant. I meant, why aren't you together?"

"He's just really busy, I guess. He thinks that we'd be more productive if we were in different places." Or at least that's what the text I got at the beginning of the week said. It was all the communication he'd allowed after he left my parents' house. This space thing was turning into more of a break up.

"It makes sense." She said, her eyes soft, she leaned into me and I bit my lip and watched the floors go up. "Don't fall for Edward, honey." She advised, tossing her frail little arm over my shoulder. "The kid doesn't wear a ring, but we all think he's got a little someone at home. It'd be pointless to pursue him."

"What makes you think he's got someone at home?" I asked, looking down at her.

"He's not interested in anyone here, and I mean, we have some attractive people working here. He's always texting or calling someone, and smiling like he'd won the lotto. And have you seen the pictures on his desk?" I nodded and she lifted her eyebrows.

"I took the maid in there yesterday, and there's a picture of a little girl on his desk." That's what she saw? Not the picture of Edward and I? "She looks just like him, she must have a mother." She rolled her eyes and I shook my head this time.

"That's his niece." I whispered, stepping off of the elevator as the doors opened. I looked into his office when the doors opened and my heart dropped when I saw that there were only two frames on his desk. "This is crazy." I whispered to myself looking down at my phone.

"What is? That he has a niece?" I walked to my desk and pulled out the agenda he'd made me copy. He was at some sight in Tacoma and would be until twelve today. That was great because it'd take me at least an hour to get there. I sighed and went looking for the picture of us. I yanked open the drawer closest to the floor; knowing that's where he put all the crap he was bored with. They were usually contracts that bore him and I'd clean the desk out and pass those onto Carlisle, per Carlisle's requests.

Of course my first guess was the best. I bit my lip and pulled the frame from under the papers and tucked it under my arm. I sighed as I looked at the little postcard under the frame, an invitation to my parents' Christmas celebration. He hadn't even told me about his invitation…

"I don't think stealing from Mr. Cullen is the best thing to do, when I'm standing right here." Ruth said slowly, snatching the frame from me.

"I'm not stealing it-" I said, trying to take it before she looked at it. She shook her head and turned from me before gasping. Good that's what I needed to redeem myself, the whole office knowing about us. "Ruth, please!" She turned back to me; her beady eyes wide as she held the frame face up.

"It's you!" She pointed at the frame of Emily, "That's your daughter?!"

"No! No! That's his _niece._ Her name is Emily… Please, don't-" Her eyes locked on my left hand.

"You aren't married?" She lifted an eyebrow.

"No, we've been friends since like first grade." I bit my lip and took the frame from her. "Please just keep it to yourself?"

"Why? I could end everyone's suffering and curiosity by telling them about you. He's so obviously head over heels, saying it's you will get some off the boy's tail and others to stop thinking he's gay." I felt bad but I started chuckling.

"He's not gay." I said, holding the photo to my chest. I picked up the agenda again and headed to the door. "But still, please don't tell anyone? I don't want him madder than he already is." She sighed and nodded.

"Fine, go, do whatever." I held the photo tightly and rushed up to hug her, knowing after I pulled away I was probably in for some sexual harassment charge or another.

"Thank you!" I called as I ran out of the office. I high tailed it down the stair case. After reaching the ground level I realized why I used the elevator most of the time.

"Hot damn, I'm out of shape…" I sighed as I walked through the lobby. Ciara raised her eyebrows as I passed her, waving and panting as I went. I picked up the pace a little as I headed to the car. I frowned realizing it was already ten o'clock, giving me very little time to drive to Tacoma and then find him. I peeled out of the parking lot and headed down the street just a little over the speed limit, but of course _this_ time the police took notice. I groaned as the red and blue lights flashed through the car.

Why now? I don't fucking know.

I pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the officer to approach my window.

"Hi, officer." I sighed, rolling down my window.

"Ma'am, do you know how _fast_ you were going?" He asked and I held back the urge to roll my eyes. I couldn't have been going that damn fast. The parking lot was less than half a mile back, I couldn't have gained _that_ much speed from there to here-

"You were going sixty in a forty." I widened my eyes and bit my lip.

_Oh... Never mind._

"I'm sorry, officer." I handed him my license and registration before he asked. I had places to be; I'd rather get the ticket and go then chit chat.

"You're Charlie Swan's daughter?" The man asked, slowly pulling off his sunglasses and looking at me.

"Yes." I sighed, knowing I was going to get some kind of unfair break because my parents donated to the force here. I didn't even know you _could_ donate to the police force…

"I'm letting you off with a warning this time, but watch yourself, little lady." My jaw ticked at the name and I nodded tersely.

"Alright, I'll see you, _son_." I sneered before starting up the car. He backed up with wide eyes as I took off, merging easily into traffic before hopping on the I-5. It took a little longer than expected to find the construction site. Then even longer to find Edward, after speaking to multiple people who didn't know who or where he was. After twenty minutes of that shit I had ten minutes before he left, so I resided to being that creeper girlfriend who waits by her boyfriend's car.

If that's what we were still.

Exactly ten minutes later he came strutting out with some petite blonde, smiling _my_ smile. My stomach twisted as I pushed off of the car. He looked up at me without an ounce of surprise. He turned to his blonde friend and said something in her ear before coming to me.

I took a deep breath as he approached, "Hey." I breathed with a scowl, still looking over his shoulder at the blonde.

"I asked you to go into the office today." He sighed, furrowing his eyebrows as he twirled his keys around his finger. My heart sank at his words.

"I went to the office… But, we need to talk."

"Not necessary." He said putting his hand on the small of my back and leaning into me as he lead me away from his car. "I know what you're going to say and I have no interest." He moved us around the car and down to mine.

"Stop," I begged, taking his hand. "Look I know you're mad. If you don't want to do… _this_-" I pointed between us and he grimaced. "then don't just ignore me, and leave me hanging, tell me. And even if we do breakup, don't ruin an eighteen year long friendship over some shit my mother said. You know what a conniving bitch she is…" I whispered, turning my eyes to the ground. "Yet you still believe her over me."

"This is not the place, Bella." He said, his eyes burning into mine. "Just… go." My eyes started to water a little, but I refused to cry. Not here, not now, not because of him, not in front of him. His eyes told me that it was the end.

_Of everything._

I bit my bottom lip and stepped away from him with a nod. "Okay." He kept his eyes on me warily as I ran my hand through my hair. I headed back to my car, feeling as though every step tore me apart more and more. Once I was inside I moved as quickly as possible, starting it up and pulling out of the parking lot. I took acute notice of the fact that he went back to the girl on the side walk, shaking his head she pouted at him and I winced.

After about ten minutes of driving I'd started to hyperventilate, and I couldn't focus on the road any longer. I pulled into a park's parking lot and got out, needing air. My chest literally felt like it was being crushed. I slipped my hands into my hair, and fell back into my seat, resting my elbows on my knees and cradled my head.

First my parents, and now Edward. I literally had no one left. I'd never felt so alone in my life. The fact that I managed to lose every fucking person who cared for me in less than a week. It had to be some kind of record.

I chuckled quietly; almost positive I'd lost my mind in this downward spiral. And just when I thought things were getting better. I scratched my throat irritably and leaned back in the car, reaching into the console to grab a pack of cigarettes I'd bought Sunday night, but chickened out on. I flipped the cigarettes around in my hand a few times and sighed as I looked at the warning label.

It was pointless really, I, just like everyone else, knew cigarettes could kill you. And I cared about that fact way more in my teens than I did as an adult. As a teenager I quit because I wanted to do shit with my life, and Edward was worried about me. Then when my parents found out they were worried too. In the moment though, I couldn't give less of a fuck. I'd already lost everyone worth living for, they wouldn't care if I picked up the habit anyway, so why should I?

The more I thought about the shit situation my life was the more I wanted to smoke. Maybe if I just had one it wouldn't be a complete relapse… I'd be okay. I opened the carton and pulled one of the cancer sticks out, turning it in my fingers. The urge to smoke it was stronger than any I'd had before. It was kind of fate that I'd just have them handy in case.

I leaned back again and grabbed a lighter. I sat back up on my chair and looked down at the little objects, knowing they'd fuck up my progress no matter what. There was also a little part of me, an irrational part that hoped Edward would pull up and smack both items out of my hands. That maybe he'd care. I looked towards the street seeing little to no traffic.

I sighed and swung my legs into the car and shut the door, rolling down the window. I lit the cigarette and wrapped my lips around it, taking in a soothing inhale. My chest immediately started to relax, and a tear slipped from my eye.

**I told you…**

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	19. Chapter 18

I took another pull from my cigarette as I rested my forearms on my balcony railing. The damn thing was near the end and almost burning my fingers. I huffed and dropped it into the ash tray before collapsing into a deck chair.

Nothing had gotten better, a three weeks later. I hadn't heard anything from my parents, or Edward or anyone else. I went to work every day, collected the papers Edward left for me, worked until five and then came home. Where I pouted, watched television, or smoked. I was honestly considering resigning from that fucking job anyway. Sure it paid so well I would be able to buy my own house in three months, but it was also painful… Even though he was never in the office.

Christmas came and went, and I sat on my ass the entire time. Of course, I still got a tree, only days before Christmas day. It was a Charlie Brown tree and I loved it even more because it looked as shitty as I felt. I'd drowned it in garland and tacky ornaments that I bought from Wal-Mart. The big day passed without any fanfare. I didn't get a call from anyone but Alice and her husband Jasper.

Don't think I'm downing them. That call meant more than Christmas itself to me even though it was less than a five minute call. I smiled for almost an hour after the call before sinking right back into my sadness. My dad did send me a text message saying Merry Christmas, but then again it had someone else's name at the end so I didn't really think that should be counted. I smoked a half pack of cigarettes after my father's slip up.

So yeah, it pretty much sucked.

I groaned and pulled a blanket over my shoulders, looking up at the bright sky. I stuck my head phones in and put on a sad playlist. My toes started to turn numb after about an hour of just chilling in the chair, so I stood and walked to the railing again. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I lifted it, my heart skipping when I saw that it was Edward.

_**Where did you put the Anderson file? -E**_

_Bottom drawer on the left, under A. –B_

I responded immediately and when my phone buzzed again I knew I'd have to start looking for another job. Maybe teaching again. The kids would probably give a shit. I'd be making more of a difference in a school than I would filing and typing up Edward's papers.

_**Thanks –E**_

I swallowed a lump in my throat and nodded before throwing the phone inside the house. A large cherry red Jeep pulled into the parking lot and I furrowed my eyebrows, knowing that no one living here could possibly own that thing. A large man stepped out and then retrieved a small child from the Jeep too, the two of them strode up to the doors and waltz right in, like they'd been here before, which I strongly doubted they had been.

I rolled my eyes and walked around the balcony a little more as it began to snow. Some asshole started banging on my door and I jumped, ready to attack the fucking spinster next door. The bitch had been complaining about every fucking thing I did and I was ready to rip her a new one.

I stormed to the door and yanked it open to see the man from earlier hulking over me. He stared at me with wide eyes, then down at the little girl and back up to me.

"Good morning, princess." Emmett Cullen boomed sarcastically, swinging Emily up into his arms. "You look lovely." I huffed and didn't move out of the doorway.

"Hi, Aunty Bella!" Emily waved, making me smile. The kid was literally a ray of sunshine, something she no doubt got from Emmett.

"Hi, honey." I said waving my fingers.

"Are you gonna' let us in, B?" Emmett asked, looking over my shoulder and wrinkling his nose. "Have you been smoking?"

"No, I'm not letting you in and yes I have been smoking." I blew a strand of hair out of my face and stood my ground.

"Look honey, Aunt Bella got a tree just like the one you wanted." He said softly to her, setting her on the ground. She clapped and ran past me into the house. He raised his voice and spoke to me, "What has gotten into you, Bella Swan?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "What are you talking about?" I hadn't seen Emmett in over four years. I saw Emily constantly because Edward babysat her every month, to give Em and Rose a break, but I hadn't seen Em in forever.

"No one's heard from you in over two weeks and you think that's okay?" He asked, raising his eyebrows angrily. I walked away from the door, knowing he'd have to come to get his get anyway, so blocking him was futile. He followed me as I headed to the kitchen and pulled out a water bottle.

"Emmett, I haven't spoken to you since a week after she was born. Are you really going to pull this three week crap on me?" I asked watching Emily stare at the tree in awe. Emmett was two years older than Edward and I, despite the age difference though, we managed to remain friends throughout school and it was when he started dating, and later married his wife Rose, that we lost touch.

"People are worried about you."

"Okay, whatever? How'd you get stuck with the task of making sure I hadn't offed myself?" I asked.

"Bella!" He hissed leaning across the counter. "That is _not_ why I came here. I wanted to formally invite you to the Cullen's New Year's party."

"Thanks but no thanks."

"Why?"

"The last thing I need is to spend the night with your brother. He most likely doesn't want me there anyway. So why would I even bother?" I shrugged and Emmett rolled his eyes.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You're going to let Edward keep you away from all of us?"

"Why do you all of a sudden want me around?"

"Kid, I've always wanted you around. I just haven't had the time to hang out… You know, with the move and then with her." He pointed to Emily who was bouncing in place on the couch.

"Emmett, no matter what, my being there would be awkward and I'd be uncomfortable. As would Edward. What about 'family first'?"

"I go off of more of a 'who do I like more' thing."

"That's horrible," I said, a smile breaking through despite my words. "I don't know why I come before Edward on that list though."

"Do you even know what this fight is about?" He asked, putting his fists on his hips and cocking an eyebrow.

"Pretty sure, yeah."

"The asshole thinks you're out for his money." He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah,"

"That's the most ridiculous shit I've ever heard."

"He told you everything?"

"Yep, me and dad. We both think it's crazy. Of course he waited until _after_ Christmas to tell us_ why_ you were no longer coming." I sighed and took another sip of water. "I think he might be worse off than you." I frowned at that, immediately going into worry mode. I faked nonchalance though as Emmett spoke, even though I wanted to rip out my hair.

"I doubt it." I said through my scratchy throat.

"You two are the most co-dependent fuckers I've ever met in my life." He scoffed, shaking his head. "You're over here giving yourself cancer and Edward's done nothing but work and sleep. Hell, we had to get him wasted just to tell us what was going on with him."

"Yeah?" I asked pouring more water and then offering him and Emily a glass. Emmett shook his head but Emily skipped up to me, nodding excitedly.

"Yes, please!" She said loudly, I chuckled and poured it into a cup of hers that Edward left here.

"Does Edward even know you're here? I don't think he'd approve."

"Why are you so worried about Edward?" He asked looking miffed for a reason unknown to me.

"I don't know, Emmett. We've been friends since we were little, feelings don't just up and disappear." He pursed his lips and reached into the bag he'd brought in and put a pair of my sweats, a brush and a pair of my earrings on the counter. My eyebrows rose and I blinked rapidly, as I looked at the things that had been at Edward's since our senior year of high school. Just like I had a pair of his pajamas and his toothbrush. They were things we kept with us, through college and our moves. If things weren't feeling official before, they sure do now.

"Hmm…" I said before swallowing thickly. I reached out and touched the items as my eyes started to water. "Excuse me." I walked around the counter and headed outside, reaching for a cigarette, as soon as I had it lit it was knocked out of my hand and flew down all three stories, landing in the grass.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You already knew I was smoking again." I said, panic seeping into my voice as the lit cigarette caught on a small shrub. "Damn it, Em!" I grabbed the pitcher of water and ran out of the house, running down the steps. By the time I'd reached the shrub it was smoking pretty badly, but I didn't see any flame. I dumped out the pitcher on it, and once I was satisfied it was pretty much out, I stomped out the cigarette and picked it up.

"Sorry, I forgot cigarettes involved fire." He said seriously, leaning over the rail. "You aren't giving yourself cancer on my watch kid. I'll be your new Edward, if it'll help. What's he call himself? Your living nicotine patch?" I nodded and smiled, thinking about Edward saying it in his country accent.

"I don't think I need another Edward." I yelled up before heading back into the building. I made it up to the apartment quickly and Emmett stood by the door with wide eyes.

"You're pretty fast for a smoker." He said with a slow clap.

"Thanks," I'd also taken to jogging every other day. After that run from Edward's office to the lobby I realized I was out of shape like you wouldn't believe. Jogging made me feel better and I tended to smoke less on the days I jogged as well. I should have gone jogging on Christmas Day.

"You know what you should do?" Emmett asked, I cocked my head to the side. "I know you have some of Edward's shit, give it to me and I'll take it back to him. It'll make him feel like shit and realize what an ass he's being." I gestured to Emily with wide eyes as she looked up at her dad. "Sorry, Em. Cover your ears." She nodded and giggled as she covered her ears, turning and plopping down on the couch.

"I don't want to make him feel bad." I sighed. "Emmett, I'm not mad at him." I tried to explain. I wasn't mad at him, but I was unbelievably hurt.

"Give me his shit, I want to make him feel bad. I'm tired of seeing him pout." I shook my head and went to the couch, sitting next to Emily. Emmett leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

She looked up at me with wide eyes, "Aunty Bella," She started and Emmett headed down the hallway toward my room.

"I'm going to the potty- I mean, bathroom!" He called, making me and Emily laugh.

"What were you going to say, honey?" I asked brushing her blonde curls out of her face.

"Will you stop smoking? For me?" I narrowed my eyes and looked over my shoulder towards the direction Emmett disappeared in. That was a dirty move and he knew it.

"I'll try."

"Don't try, do." She said. "Try-ers aren't do-ers. They're non-committers."

"Do you know what that means?" She nodded unsurely and I laughed, opening my arms for a hug. Emmett came back into the room, zipping up his bag.

"Why don't you two just kiss and make up? You're putting all of this stuff in Edward's hands? Why?" He asked, picking up where he left off.

"I tried to talk to him and he kind of blew me off and ultimately told me we were over."

"What a fucking idiot." Em grimaced and I did too. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Pick up your phone?" I nodded and he stuck out his pinky. I smiled and linked fingers with him.

"Deal." We agreed before he collected Emily and they exited the apartment together.

**What'd you all think?**

**Reviewers, I will attempt to tease!**


	20. Chapter 19

"Can you get this to me before five?" I jumped, looking up at Edward who stood in the doorway. It was the first time he'd spoken to me in weeks.

I swallowed audibly and nodded, watching him come and set a folder on my desk. Of course he looked amazing, hair perfect, suit perfect... Probably for that cute little blonde he'd been talking to. Edward lingered at the edge of my desk, the tips of his fingers still resting on the file.

"Thanks." He said shortly before turning to leave and freezing in his tracks. I lifted an eyebrow at his back as he went to my coat, pulling out my cigarettes. "What the hell, Bella?" My stomach twisted at his tone and I bit my lip. "You're smoking again?"

I stood from behind my desk, taking the pack from him. I turned it over in my hand a second, debating whether or not I should take my break now, as my eyes darted up to him. Edward rolled his eyes and snatched the back from me before giving me a disgusted sneer.

"Don't look at me like that." I huffed, just wanting my best friend back. Not this cold asshole that just saw me as some money grubbing ex-girlfriend. We had so much more. It was ridiculous that we couldn't at least move past this as friends.

That wouldn't happen though.

"Five." He reminded again. He'd almost made it to the door when he spun on his heel and stalked back towards my desk. He snatched the pack from me and I gasped.

"Don't you dare smoke those cancer sticks, Bella." He said angrily. Only then was I able to tell he wasn't doing as well as he appeared. Upon a better look I could see the dark bags under his eyes, and how in the few weeks we hadn't been talking how his face had thinned slightly. Not enough to be caught by the untrained eye, but I saw it.

"It's too late." I said, fidgeting with the cuff of my jacket.

"They'll kill you." He growled his jaw flexing. I looked into his piercing eyes, silently wondering why he cared.

Probably because you can't blatantly ignore a dead person.

"They just make me relax-" I sighed, not seeing the big deal.

"Maybe if you stop now you won't get addicted again." I hated calling it an addiction. "Stand up." I curled a lip at the order but stood anyway. He stared at me for a second, lifting an eyebrow as he inched towards me. His eyes looked tortured as I felt.

I shifted under his scrutiny and grumbled, "Yeah, I look terrible. I'm aware." He shook his head and cupped my cheek, the action shocking the shit out of me. He met my eyes for a minute before moving even closer and pulling me into a hug. I let out a shaky sigh as I stiffened in his arms.

"I'm coming over tonight. We're going to talk." My eyes widened and I melted into his hug. I relished in his warm embrace, his delicious scent, and how close he held me.

"Why the change of heart?" I asked wrinkling my nose in confusion. He relaxed under my hold and I sighed.

"I figured I should hear your side of the story." He sighed, promptly pulling away from me. His uncaring facade was back on and all traces of the man I loved were gone. I hated it. "Even though I know exactly what I heard." Even his accent was edging its way back into his words.

"Even though you know who it came from." I said taking a step backwards.

"Not here." He said, a warning in his gaze.

"Of course not." I said with a slow nod as I bit my lip. I felt a heavy, sad pressure on my chest as I met his cold eyes.

"Don't try and guilt me into talking here." He said taking a few steps toward me to cover the space I'd made between us. I furrowed my eyebrows and took a seat.

"I'm not trying to guilt you. It could just be your conscience trying to tell you something." I said, giving him a sharp look. He raised his eyebrows and scoffed.

"Well that's a little ridiculous seeing as my conscious should probably know I've done nothing wrong." He said seriously as he rolled his shoulders back, standing a bit taller.

"Okay, Edward." I sighed. I wanted him to speak to me again, I really did. What I didn't want was this arrogant asshole version of him.

"Okay, but remember. Five." He held up five fingers and I wrinkled my nose, having no clue as to what he was talking about. Until he pointed to the stack he'd placed in front of me.

"I understand." I sighed.

"I'll bring dinner and The Notebook." He said as if men said those things every day. That was another thing I loved about him though. He really didn't give a damn about what people thought. He started to turn to the door and shook his head, spinning to come back to me. My heart leapt as he headed for me, a determined look in his eye.

"I almost stole your pen." He said, the determination in his eyes fading. He handed me a pen that wasn't mine. I frowned at it as he escaped out of the room.

"I have a meeting in five, just so you know." He called over his shoulder. I nodded and twirled the pen between my fingers.

Tonight.

~-)-(-~

"So until he decides he's going to show up, you just wait around? You got the shitty end of the stick." Alice said over the phone.

"At least he told me beforehand so that he doesn't catch me just sitting around and chain-smoking." I joked, resting my hands on my hips.

"You chain-smoke? Jeeze, Bella…"

"I was just kidding." I rolled my eyes and bent down to pick up a stray gum wrapper on the ground. I meant to clean it, but after a while I realized there wasn't shit to clean. I'd been sad, not a slob. There weren't even clothes for me to wash, so I settled for trying to find something to alleviate the smell of smoke.

"You shouldn't let him dictate when everything happens. That doesn't sound like a relationship; it sounds like he's walking over you." I rolled my eyes.

"He's upset with me. This is him coming around on his own terms. It's not like that." I said peeking out the window to see his car pull up. "He's coming."

"Don't let him walk over you, Bella. Stand your ground. Make him work for it."

"Work for what?"

"You're forgiveness."

"Alice," Maybe it was just me, but I didn't understand what he did to have to beg. Besides maybe the blonde chick.

Definitely the blonde chick.

"He's been an ass. I'm telling you, you need to make sure he listens."

"That's what he's coming to do."

"Or is he coming to get his dick wet? It's been like three weeks. It's probably a record for him… If he's stayed faithful, I mean." She said it as if it was no big deal, as if we were talking about the weather.

"Alice! Please."

"I just saying. Think of what you need, Bella. That might not be Edward." Her voice softened. A knock sounded at my door and I panicked.

"I've gotta go, he's here…"

"Calm down, Bella. Deep breaths." Alice reminded over the phone as I hightailed it to the door. I stood in the hall for a second and waited for him to do something, make a scene. I sighed when nothing happened except for another knock. I peeked through the eyehole to see him staring right back.

"Damn it, Alice. Now you've got me going…" I whispered as my heart thundered in my chest.

"Uh, Bella? Can you open the door? I can hear you." He called through the wood. Alice giggled on the phone and I hung up, tossing it on the couch. I flipped my hair away from my face and pulled open the door.

"Here." He handed me the movie case and walked past me, as if he hadn't ignored me for the past few weeks. "I brought ice cream and dinner as promised." He said holding up a bag before heading into the kitchen.

"Uh, okay, thanks…" I said awkwardly as I pushed the door closed and locked it. I headed to the dvd player and shoved the movie in before going into my kitchen. "Are we going to talk?" I asked quietly as I watched him put the ice cream up. He's bought three tubs of it, so I guessed it was going to be a long night.

"We can talk…" He put the last of the ice cream in the freezer before stalking towards me. "Or…" I gulped as he put his hand on my hip and kissed my temple.

"Let's talk." I whispered, tilting my head up so that I could meet his eyes. He caught me off guard with a kiss to the lips and I felt my heart drop. I huffed against his mouth and when I went to pull away he pulled my back to him, kissing me again. I bit his lip in response to his action and felt him smile against my mouth. My body involuntarily reacted to his ministrations, my thighs clenched as he pressed his hips into me.

"I'd rather we get to the other thing first." He said, unbuttoning his shirt quickly, and ripping it off. He grabbed my hips a little tighter and lifted me onto the counter in front of him. "I love you." He whispered, pulling back long enough to pull my shirt over my head without meeting my eyes.

Our lips met again, feverishly and I started to tear up at his words. Alice's words ran through my head on repeat and I broke contact.

"Don't lie to me, Edward…" I whimpered, feeling his nose trail down the column of my neck. "I get it… You need breakup sex or whatever." His cold demeanor faded away as he looked up into my glassy eyes and I gulped.

"Please don't use me though. Don't play on my feelings." I whispered as my chest felt like it was being smashed inward. My shaky fingers trailed down his cheek and a tear traced the same track down my cheek as my fingers did on his. "That would ruin me." The tears that threatened to spill over were clear in my voice as it shook.

"Ruin you?" He scoffed and backed away from me, pursing his kiss swollen lips. "Well wouldn't you think you deserved it? After what you did?" His eyes widened and anger shone in them, even though he managed to keep his voice even.

"I didn't do anything! My mom said some shit and you believed her, like you were waiting for an out." I whispered, reaching over on the counter to pick up my shirt, not putting it on, but simply fingering the material.

"I don't think your mom would just make something like that up." He said with a shake of his head.

"That's why we've been stuck in the same spot for weeks." I said softly, running my hand through my hair. "I don't give a damn about the money. I make good money with you and I'm doing fine." He rolled his eyes and I headed to my cabinet, pulling out an envelope. "I'm doing okay." I passed him the envelope and he lifted an eyebrow before opening it and frowning.

"I told you I didn't want this when I first paid your rent." I rolled my eyes and pulled my shirt over my head.

"I don't care if you want it or not. This is me giving it to you. And you're going to take it." I said holding up my hands as he tried to hand it back. "Anyway, if I wasn't doing alright I'm sure I could get my parents to let me have my trust find back." He crossed his ankles and leaned back against the counter, his expression unreadable. We both knew the chances of me going to my parents for anything was slim to none.

"No you wouldn't." His eyes narrowed and I threw up my hands.

"You caught me." I said firmly, becoming more and more irate with every word. "You're right. I wouldn't. You know what I would do?" I asked poking his chest. "You know what I should do?"

"What's that?" He asked lifting an eyebrow.

"I should quit this job, that's keeping me in a town, where I can't find any other work. I should just leave Forks altogether." I thought aloud. "I mean, what is here that is really worth that much to me?" I asked, with a shrug. His eye twitched and I heard his keys moving in his pocket, where his hand was.

I was upsetting him.

"That's what I thought."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh, but I do. I've got parents who couldn't give _less_ of a shit about me- Actually, I know that for a fact, they only want to hurt me. I have this small ass apartment, that's broken to shit and then there's you." I straightened my shoulders as I looked into his weary eyes. "And at this point, you are no one to me, Edward."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I didn't stutter, it means just what I _said_." I said with a heavy sigh. My heart thudded in my chest as I spoke lies. "You can't possibly be my friend, or anything else for that matter, because you have no faith in me. And no respect either."

"When have I ever dis-"

"When you came here _today_ with no intent to speak to me as you promised. When you showed up at my doorstep, only with plans to get into my pants." I fumed, moving farther away from him. His eyebrows furrowed and I shook my head.

"We're talking now."

"Because I didn't drop my pants at the sight of you. Edward… stop. I know you. You can't fool me. Because you know that if left to your own devices you would have fucked me and disappeared already."

"So you're just going to leave everything we have- and do what?"

"Move on." I said firmly, my jaw tightening as I met his eyes.

"Come on, Bella, don't-" He stepped toward me, pulling his hand out of his pocket and extending it toward me.

"Don't do what; jump to the extreme? Walk away?" I gasped. "Am I not allowed the same reaction as you? You can run away, ignore me, go prancing around with some blonde and then come to things on your own terms? This is un-fucking-fair." I burst out, every feeling, all of the hurt and anger from the past few weeks bubbling to the surface. "But no. I'm supposed to sit around and wait for you. Be a pitiful, vulnerable little mess, because of you? Well congratulations. You won."

"Bella-"

"For three, almost four weeks now, I've waited for you to come to some understanding. And apparently you still haven't. You just wanted to get your dick wet." I scoffed. "Now, I'm done. I'm going to go and do something for myself."

"So you waited for me to come find you so that you could in turn ignore me? That seems a little melodramatic. Immature if you will." He shook his head, leaning a hip against the counter. "What the fuck, Bella? I'm not allowed to be upset now? Let's not forget- act like you were the victim in all of this. I was hurting just as much as you. So no, it wasn't easy for me to come here, but I did. I made an effort."

"And I didn't?! I tried to talk to you, I even gave you a week! But instead of talking to me you figured that your little date was more important than eighteen years of friendship, more important than your girlfriend, the person you _claim_ to love. Do you want me to apologize for ruining your lunch, or for my mother, completely setting me up for failure?"

"It took me time to come to the terms that you could possibly be just like all of the other girls." My lip quivered with anger as he glared at me.

"Three weeks and that's the conclusion you came to? Are you fucking serious?!" I slammed my hand down on the counter and he turned his eyes to the ceiling. "Who do you think I am?! I can't believe you."

"Bella, you know just as well what I heard."

"And you wouldn't hear me out! You know, damn well I would not put myself, you or our relationship on the line for a couple of dollars!"

"Well, I'd say it's more than a couple of dollars. When you look at it, you had no romantic interest in me until you found yourself in a financial pickle." He said, his voice a deadly calm. "If it were some other chick in this situation you'd assume she was after my money."

"I'm not just 'some other chick'! I'm your best friend. The person you've known for eighteen years!" He shrugged and I grinded my teeth. "Why don't _you_ take a step back and try to look at this from another point of view? What would you have done if it were Mike Newton calling me a gold digger?"

"Bella, I'm not calling you a gold digger."

"Oh, you are. Don't try and sugar coat things. And if someone else was calling me a gold digger, hurting me as much as you are, you would what?"

"I don't know-"

"I do. You'd be _pissed_. As in going after that guy and beating the shit out of him pissed. But now that it's you, you just assume I really am another one of your money hungry whores. See what I mean? It's ridiculous. But you're right. If it was someone you had just met that was after your money, I wouldn't hesitate to tell you to get rid of her."

He furrowed his eyebrows, but not angrily. He looked like he was honestly thinking about what I'd said. I was glad too, because I was running out of steam, if I was forced to continue I was sure there'd be tears. "Look if it's time you need-"

"I've had time." He sighed, tugging a hand through his hair. He gestured to the kitchen table with his other hand and I sat down across from him. "I want this to be over. That's why I'm here." His tone was soft now and he leaned in toward me, across the table. "I didn't want to hurt you, or disrespect you… I don't know what I wanted to do, but it wasn't those things. I don't want to be no one to you, and I _don't_ want you to leave."

"We can't all have what we want." I said, biting my bottom lip.

"I know."

"So what is it that you do want, Edward? Because I'm still at a loss." I said with a shake of my head.

"I want you." My heart went double time as he locked eyes with me. He picked up one of my hands and held it in both of his. "I want you to try and find a way to forgive me." I coughed at his words.

It can't be that simple.

"I'm not going to have sex with you." I sputtered, shocked by his sensibility.

"I'm not looking for sex-" I gave him a pointed look and he sighed. "Anymore. It's been too long and I need you back." I know I'd done a bit of bluffing at the beginning of the conversation but I hadn't broken up with him.

"Back?" I whispered, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Bella, I realize that I fucked up." He misread my confusion.

"Put me through hell." I pulled my hand from his and went to my fridge, turning my back on him. He sighed and turned in his chair.

"If you want to think it over more, I'll understand… But don't _leave_." His words caught on the last word and my heart begged me to go to him. As much as he'd hurt and worried me, I still didn't want him to hurt. I turned and leaned against the refrigerator, looking back at him. He stood and picked up the coat I hadn't seen him drape over the back of the chair. I picked up the envelope he'd set on the counter and held it out to him.

He sighed and held the other end of the envelope. He held my gaze for a moment before I broke it and let go of the money. "Come here." He whispered, taking my hand once more and pulling me toward him gently. His finger slipped under my chin and he rested his forehead on mine.

"Bella, you know I love you more than anything. Despite all of this shit." His minty breath washed across my face and my eyes slid shut.

"I know. I love you too." I sighed, in a way that obviously made him unsatisfied.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He moved his forehead from mine, before pressing a lingering kiss there.

"Bye." I said softly, watching him pull on his coat as he headed to the door. I quickly pulled my cellphone from my pocket and dialed Alice.

"You did it!" She answered on the first ring.

"What? How-"

"Well, if you'd slept with him you'd probably be puffing on a cigarette. Not calling me." She giggled. "What'd you say to him?" I went to the window and saw him exit the building, flipping his keys around his finger. He turned to look back up at my window and I held up a hand, waving my fingers at him.

He smiled a little and waved back at me. On its own accord my hand stopped waving and beckoned him towards me. Then I was moving toward the porch.

"Damn it." I whispered.

"Wha- Bella! No!" Alice called as I slid the balcony door open.

I stepped out on the balcony and gripped the railing. "Come back, Edward." I could see his eyebrow lift as he looked up at me.

"Girl…" Alice sighed, I hung up the phone.

"What?" Edward called, cupping his ear.

"Get back up here." His eyes lit up and I shook my head. "I'm still not sleeping with you." His smile grew impossibly wider and he started toward the building.

"I'll take what I can get." He said, his voice filled with relief as he turned and jogged back to the building.

-((-))-

**_So... is this the part where I run and hide?_**


	21. Chapter 20

"You know, I'm glad you two made it work." Emmett said after Edward left the booth for our second round. I nodded and took a long pull from my beer.

Rosalie and Emmett decided that after years of just being around each other and Emily, it was time for them to give up their recluse life style. We decided to get completely crazy and head out to a bar to get responsibly tipsy.

It was a wild night.

"Well, they owe it to you." Rose said to him with a shrug. "If you didn't go stealing their shit, Edward wouldn't have gotten off his ass." She flicked her hair over her shoulder and Jasper sent her an annoyed look that most likely looked like mine.

"It's true." Alice said, her elbows sticking out and jabbing both Jasper and I in the sides. "Those clothes lit a fire under his ass," Alice nodded towards Edward as he walked back to us. She wasn't really his biggest fan at this point, but she figured that if I was happy, everything would be fine.

And I was happy.

"Clothes?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows. Emmett palmed his forehead and I looked around the table in confusion. "What clothes."

"Remember the sweats that he took to you?" I lifted an eyebrow and shook my head no. "Well when Edward saw his he flipped a shit."

"I don't follow." I said taking the beer Edward slid toward me as he sat in the booth. "Thank you." He shook his head and tapped his cheek. I chuckled and pecked his cheek before leaning against him as he put an arm over my shoulders. I blushed as I looked around the table. All four of them stared at us and I sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked curiously, taking a sip of his beer.

"Nothing." I said quickly, not particularly caring to continue the conversation.

"Your breakup." Rose said nonchalantly, Emmett turned to her with wide eyes and she gave him a shrug.

"We didn't break up, Rose…" Edward groaned to his sister in law. "Must you meddle?" Rose scoffed and turned to Emmett who gave her a look that clearly said 'This is why we don't get invited places.'

"Emmett!" She huffed.

"I didn't say anything." He rolled his eyes and she got huffy again.

"Anyways, we're doing alright now, that's all that matters right?" Edward asked, easily overcoming his annoyance and relaxing next to me again. I couldn't shake my unease and he noticed. "Right, babe?" He asked trailing his fingers up the side of my arm.

"That's not the correct approach. Aversion is a defense mechanism." Rose said wagging a finger at us. Her therapist speak was quickly grating on my nerves and it seemed that after five years of cabin fever it was like she'd lost the little social etiquette she had before. I almost wished she'd go back to her cabin in the woods… Or her mansion in the burbs.

Same difference.

"As is projection, Rosalie. Is there something you want to tell us?" He asked lifting an eyebrow. I put a hand on his stomach and shook my head. He and Rose could bicker on like that for an hour and not get anywhere.

"Jazz and I are going to dance." Alice said slowly, the Cullen's making her feel a tad bit uncomfortable. She and her indifferent husband left the booth and headed down to the main floor which held the dance floor.

"Wait. What were you talking about, with the clothes?" Rose smirked and leaned forward, taking her drink with her.

"Emmett here was a little proactive." She said patting Emmett's thigh. My friend went red in the face and drank his beer, his eyes darting around the room nervously.

"I don't follow." Edward said furrowing his eyebrows, just as interested and confused as I was.

"He just gave you the little push you needed." She smirked, lifting the beer to her mouth. I groaned under my breath and tugged a hand through my hair, completely over Rose's shit.

"Stop being so damn vague, Rose. What the hell are you talking about?" Edward asked, his jaw ticking as he glared at her. I turned my gaze to the dance floor where Alice and Jasper were grinding to the beat. My eyes then turned to scan the bar. The table was quiet behind me before I heard Rose laugh coldly. I turned back to her with an irritated glare.

"Oh, I'm guessing this means you _didn't_ know about Emmett's visit to Bella?" She asked with a mock pout. She tsk'ed at her husband, not breaking eye contact with Edward.

"_That?_" I asked with a roll of my eyes. Edward turned to me with his eyebrows knitted and I ignored him.

"What?" He asked.

"This is ridiculous." I rolled my eyes and looked to Edward. "Emmett just came by for a while, I have no clue why you're making such a big deal about this." I said with a shake of my head as I looked into Rose's stony gaze.

"Ugh." Em groaned. "I took your clothes from Edward's place while he was at work." Emmett said cutting Rose off as she opened her mouth. "I know you guys keep spare clothes at each other's houses or whatever, so I took his and told you he was giving them back. Remember?"

I nodded, "Of course I remember." Edward lifted an eyebrow.

"Then I took Edward's stuff from your place. And you know…"

"So you _did_ know about Emmett's visit?" I asked in confusion looking at Edward.

"He didn't give me my clothes back." He shook his head. "They were just on my bed, Mum said you dropped them off." I shook my head. Emmett smirked and sat back, folding his arms over his chest.

"Nah, I've gotten really good at forging Mum's signature and handwriting. It's a talent of mine." He shrugged and Edward let out a loud huff. "Look, I was getting tired of you moping. And if you were moping you know damn well she was too." He jerked a thumb at me and I rubbed my temples, not caring to hear any more about those terrible few weeks. Edward's thumb ran circles on my hip as we listened; I put my hand on his thigh.

"What does this have to do with us getting back together?"

"We told you earlier." Rose rolled her eyes. "Edward saw the sweatpants, cried for three hours-"

"Oh please." Edward scoffed at her, before turning to me. "I love you, baby, but I don't cry." He shook his head. "Don't exaggerate, Rose. Actually, why don't you just stop talking?" He asked.

"Well that set his ass into gear. He saw them and the next day he was heading to your place." She said with a shrug. It sounded just like something that would set Edward off, the clothes. So I guess I did owe Emmett a thank you.

Later.

"Wait as second." I said, widening my eyes as I looked at Emmett. "You went through my drawers?!"

"Kinda, not really. I mean, I stayed away from your underwear drawer." He shrugged.

"How do you know which one is my underwear drawer?" I asked, my eye twitching.

"Everyone's top drawer is their underwear drawer, Bella." Rose said rolling her eyes. Edward was franticly moving next to me and I turned to see him shaking his head and putting his first finger to his lips, shushing her.

"Mine isn't." I said, elbowing Edward in the side. "So you did go through my underwear drawer?"

"No, I _didn't_." He rolled his eyes and Edward was back to shushing him.

"Then how'd you know which one to avoid?" I asked.

He gave a nonchalant shrug, "You've had the same dresser since high school." Edward smacked his palm against his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut. Anger bubbled in my stomach as I turned to Emmett who pointed at Edward.

"Why the hell were you in my drawers in high school?!" I asked, my voice so high it sounded squeaky.

"Edward." I turned to Edward who stopped shushing his brother long enough to give me a sheepish smile.

"Hey, I was a teenage boy. I was interested." He shrugged, I slapped his thigh and he blushed.

"_Anyway,_" Rose said. "What happened between you two?" She asked leaning forward as Alice and Jazz returned to the booth, sliding in next to me.

"Oh god." Alice huffed. "Is your life really so boring that you need to drudge up shit everyone wants to move past? Good god." I smiled over at Alice and she patted my knee.

"Am I not allowed to care about the lives of my family… whoever you are?" Rose asked furrowing her eyebrows, trying to pull off innocent.

Alice ignored her and turned to me. "You're coming to the new casino with me tonight." I lifted an eyebrow, trying to keep up with everything happening around me.

"Um, okay."

"Good. We'll head out and spend the night at my parents place, down there." She turned back to the table. "We'll drive back early tomorrow. Rosalie, you're coming with us. Because, frankly, I feel bad for you." She said, giving her a pity glance.

"Thanks," Rose sneered, and my hopes immediately rose, hoping she wouldn't come. "But I need to get back to Emily."

"Emily's at our parent's place, Rose." Emmett sighed, rubbing Rose's shoulder. "Go have fun." He obviously saw the same thing in her that Alice did. That or he wanted to be rid of his wife for a night. If I were him, it'd definitely be that latter.

"Fine."

_Damn._

I forced a smile and turned towards Edward. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He grinned before kissing my forehead. I chuckled and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"See you tomorrow, love you."

"Love you more."

"Don't ever go through my drawers again." I said waving my finger between him and his brother. They both nodded and Rose and Alice laughed as they slid from the booth.

"What was that about?" Alice asked as we fell in step, behind Rosalie.

"You don't want to know." I rolled my eyes.

*)))~(((*

The next morning I walked through my front door with little to know memory of what happened the night before. I had a slight hangover, but it wasn't head splitting. I was immediately put on high alert as I heard shuffling around coming from inside.

"Bella?" Edward called from my bedroom. I bit my lip and took a breath. I went towards his voice and he continued to yell, not helping my growing headache at all. "How was your night?"

"Fun, I guess." I liked Rose a lot more when I woke up, so I guess some good shit happened. "We ended up gambling just a bit and then went back to Alice's parent's place… That's all I remember." He let out a deep bell like chuckle that made me cringe at it's volume.

"Sounds fun."

"What's all of this?" I ask as I enter the bedroom to see my room a mess as Edward sticks my clothes in luggage.

He looks up at me with a smile, pulling one from me automatically.

"What?" I ask.

"We, my dear," he closed the suitcase and quickly zipped it before crossing the room. "Are going away." He wrapped an arm around me, pulling my shoulder into his chest as he kissed my cheek.

"And where exactly would we be going?" I ask, craning my neck to see his face. He pecked my lips and shook his head before letting me go and heading into the living room, dropping my luggage by the door.

"You'll see when we get there."

"Oh god, are we running from something?" I asked, with wide eyes.

"What? No..." He furrowed his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side. "This isn't some mafia novel, babe." He said with a smirk, teasing me about the book I'd just finished. "Can't I do something romantic for my girlfriend? I think I kind of owe you, you deserve a getaway."

"Edward, you don't have to-" I whispered.

"Shh, let me do something for you. Let me romance you, darling." He slipped back into his native accent

"I'd think your type of romance would be more of the paddling down a river in a boat before falling in and having wild river sex." He pursed his lips, trying to hide his smirk.

"If you're talking about The Notebook, that doesn't happen. You think you'd know that, as many times as we've watched it." He shook his head and I giggled.

"I know what happens but I was trying to make it a mashup- half you, half the movie. You were the sex part." I informed, walking further into my room.

"Oh really?!" He asked sarcastically. I nodded and bit my lip as I pulled open one of my drawers, looking for his hoodie. I lifted an eyebrow at the empty drawer.

"Baby?" I called over my shoulder, pulling open another drawer.

"Yeah?" He yelled back, sounding like his mouth was full. I winced once more at the noise as I stared into my drawers.

"Didn't we have a conversation about my drawers?"

"Sorry, honey. I was in a rush. I didn't go through them, I just put them into the suitcase.."

"Did you pack my entire wardrobe?" I asked heading to my closet.

"Uh... Yeah." I turned around, my hands on my hips.

"Why?" I wasn't mad, nor was I surprised, that was just an Edward thing to do.

"That's how we pack for trips back in England?" His voice held question.

I lifted my eyebrows and shook my head, "You haven't been to England in twenty years. How would you know how they pack?"

"It's in my blood." He shrugged, going back to eating a Hostess cupcake.

"Where in the world did you get that?" I asked, pointing at the snack. He crammed the rest of it into his mouth and wiped his hands clean.

"eBay." He said around his mouthful. I shook my head at his generosity.

"Where'd you say we were going again?" I asked hoping he wouldn't remember that he hadn't told me.

"I didn't say." He smirked, leaning against the doorframe, looking like a J. Crew model.

"Oh..." I said clearly caught. "Yeah..." He shook his head.

"Good try." He laughed watching me flit around the room. "Now you come here, I missed you." I wasn't positive as to whether or not he was talking about our split, so I just went to him, resting my head on his chest.

"We're really leaving?" I asked fingering the fabric of his shirt.

"Oh yeah, we're getting out of here." He said hugging me tightly. "Actually," he looked down at his watch. "Our plane leaves in three hours."

"Edward!" I pulled away. "We're leaving today?!"

"Yup." He popped the 'p' and I looked at him with wide eyes. "Actually we should get going." He tapped my ass and moved away, heading to the door and pulling on his coat.

"I can't just leave like this, Edward..."

"Yes, you can. Spontaneity!" He zipped his zipper up until it could zip no further. I frowned, looking back at my room.

"Edward..."

"Bella." He wrapped his arms around me from behind and nuzzled my neck. "There is nothing to do besides be excited for this, Bella. Just a small amount of work, we can sleep in late, and together." He kissed my neck, "Think of all the sex, love." He nipped at my collar bone and I smiled.

"I guess..." I nodded and turned in his arms.

"Oh, woah, babe! Please try to contain your excitement!" He said backing away and holding up his hands.

"I'm excited, I just- you can't spring big stuff like this on me... A whole weekend away is..." I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip. "It's a lot." I turned to see him guiltily looking off to the side.

"I guess this isn't a good time to tell you it's a week-long thing then, huh?" I almost choked at his words. "I was still thinking about you though, I wasn't just trying to give this a more attractive name, it's still a vacation. The conference is one day at the end of vacation." He frowned and rubbed my back. "We don't have to go, well, I will be sitting through that conference there... But I thought that you could help personally assist me with that."

"No, no, I want to go!" I said softly before leaning up to kiss his pouty lips. "I just need more warning next time." I rubbed up his arm and gave him a smile.

"Great!" He clapped and a large smile overtook the pout. His eyes were bright and excited as he slung two duffel bags over his shoulders. "Let's go." He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door.

/:/()\:\

Hello, all... A few things:

1. I hope you enjoyed.

2. I'm sorry that I didn't reply to reviews, I'm so unbelievably busy. I'm in a musical and it's taking up more and more time as we get closer to show time.

3. Ladies, I understand that you're upset with Edward, and Bella's decision. But please don't flame me because of fictional characters in fictional situations...

Thanks!

I'm going to try to reply to reviews, but please know that I am unable to promise that I'll get to them.

But I read and appreciate them all, so much!


	22. Chapter 21

"San Diego..." I mused as we rode up to the penthouse.  
"San Diego." He hummed, pulling my closer to his chest. He leaned around me to see my face. "Are you not happy with it?" He asked, sounding truly concerned.  
"No! No, baby, this is great!" I smiled turning in his arms.  
"We can go somewhere else... Anywhere. Name a place." There was whispering from the two old ladies in the corner of the elevator. I turned towards them, to see them staring and obviously talking about Edward and me.  
"How about Casper, Wyoming?" He suggested, making the old women scoff and me raise a brow.  
"What's in Casper?"  
"Romance? Gah, I don't know, I really just want you to be happy."  
"I am fine here." I said shaking my head at him. "Please, calm down." The elevator stopped and the two women walked out one of the mumbling:  
"He's overcompensating. Probably slept with her friend. Just like my Henry, god rest his soul." My eyes widened at the extreme turn that took and I looked up to Edward who held a brochure.  
"Did you hear that?"  
"What?" He asked. I shook my head with a chuckle and he furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Those women think you're over compensating." I informed, moving away from his embrace. "They think you're cheating on me with my friend."  
"Well, Alice hates me, and I don't know your other friends... So..."  
"Alice doesn't hate you." I said, bending the truth just a tad.  
"She sure doesn't like me." The elevator stopped at the pent house and the doors slid open to reveal a tiny hallway, with a large wooden door at the end.  
Of course he was right, he may not have realized how right he was though. Alice had set up a date for me, just to spite him. Said date was scheduled for the day before we flew out though, so I wasn't quite sure if she knew I'd missed it.  
"Maybe not." I shrugged. "Honestly-"  
"I know, I wouldn't like myself either if I were her."  
"But you aren't her, and I like you. And you like you. That's really all that matters." I smiled before tapping his nose.  
"You should be a therapist, babe." He rolled his eyes and playfully nipped at my fingers as I pulled them away.  
I chuckled as I pulled out the key card and pushed open the door for Edward who had insisted upon lugging every bag we had, sans my purse, up the stairs at one time.  
"Thanks..." I nodded and my jaw dropped as I looked into the huge room. The room varied in warm oranges and reds, giving the entire, almost condo sized room a warm feeling. "Jesus, Edward..."  
"It's great, huh?" He asked taking in the room while simultaneously unloading.  
"It's amazing." I whispered still in awe. His arms wound around my waist and I placed my hands over his as he pulled me into his chest.  
"After the past few weeks... You deserve it." He sighed, resting his chin on my shoulder. I reached up and stroked his stubbly jaw as he spoke.  
"Thank you." I smiled, still enthralled by the room.  
"Anything for you. I love you."  
"Love you too." I turned in his arms so that I faced him and I cupped his cheek. "More than anything."  
He smiled and nodded, "Any and everything." I stretched up and chastely put my lips to his. "And now... We get settled." He said before pulling away completely and picking up our bags, again.  
As soon as Edward lifted the bags a long vibration sounded. "That's my phone, can you get that?"  
I nodded with a shrug and slipped it out of his back pocket. My heart dropped as I looked at the phone screen. It was the same breathtaking blonde from Tacoma.  
Well that'll ruin a mood.  
"Edward?" He turned and I held up the phone, showing him the picture. He shrugged and didn't stop walking up the spiral staircase.  
"Could you get that please? I know that these first few days are about you and me... But this is important." I scowled at the phone and pressed talk.  
"Hello?"  
"Um, who is this?"  
"This is Bella Swan, Edward's secretary. He's busy at the moment. But may I take a message?"  
"I thought Edward was on vacation." She grounded out, I bit my lip wondering where I knew that voice from.  
"He is." And that's the end of that. "Oh hold on, he's coming." Edward held out his hand as he came off of the steps.  
"Thanks." He smiled, kissing the corner of my mouth as he took the phone. "Hey, I told you I wasn't working for a few days. Can't this wait?" He went and sat at one of the stools that waited at the bar. Despite my curiosity I wandered away to give him privacy. I started up the stairs to the lofted bedroom.  
"No, Ka- I can't meet at all this week. I'm not in Washington." There was a heavy sigh and I cast a look over the banister to see Edward pull out a notepad and start to scribble down words, nodding as the woman babbled. "Yes, next week. Alright, see you then." He hung up and sighed.  
"Everything alright?" I asked, looking leaking over the banister a bit.  
"Yeah, she's just..." He groaned and put his phone on the counter, before pushing it down the surface. I pulled back so that I was out of sight and bit my lip. The curiosity was eating at me. That picture was obviously the same woman he'd been with, but I didn't want to bring things down and drudge up the past.  
Eh.  
"So... Who was that?" I asked, throwing my hair into a bun.  
"A client who doesn't understand that I'm not a 24/7 architect." He groaned, tugging a hand through his hair. I furrowed my eyebrows wondering what she could be doing that consisted of constant architectural advice. Of course, that usually meant one of two things.  
Either she didn't understand what architects were supposed to do...  
Or she had a crush.  
"I just thought she sounded familiar on the phone."  
"That was Kate Rochester. You scheduled my appointment with her, for that day in Tacoma." He said softly. I headed down the steps, with a relieved sigh. He smiled when he saw me and opened his arms. "Except we shifted it to the lunch hour." I nodded and melted against him. "Speaking of lunch. Whaddaya say we hit up a drive through somewhere and burn in the sun."  
"And they say you aren't romantic."  
"They are damn fools. All of them." He smiled, sliding his hands into my back pockets. He tilted his chin up and puckered his lips for a kiss, scrunching up his eyes. I laughed and pressed my lips to his.  
"I'm not really hungry now... Why don't we just chill today, then we can do stuff tomorrow and the following days." I asked, holding out my hands. He took them and stood, before pulling me back into him. He cast a glance at the clock and his eyes lit up.  
"Cuddle time?" He asked excitedly, I rolled my eyes and he swooped me up, carrying me bridal style towards the stairs.  
"Not if you keep carrying me like this! We won't even make it up the steps like this." I rolled my eyes and he nodded.  
"True..." He lowered my legs a bit before using that momentum to haul me over his shoulder.  
"Edward!"  
"Yeah, babe?"  
"If you don't put me down; I'm not going to cuddle with you." I threatened before I smacked his ass.  
"Yeah you will." He scoffed before grabbing a handful of my ass.  
"I won't and I'll tell Emmett about your whole cuddling infatuation." He stopped, and I jolted on his shoulder.  
"You wouldn't." He gasped. "Bella, he'll kick my ass. It's not my fault there's not a manlier name for my passion."  
"Snuggling." I giggled, before throwing out my hands as I almost fell face first down the steps.  
"You suck." He shook his head and continued up the steps. Once we finally reached the bed he laid me down and dove on top of me before I had the chance to shut down his cuddle session. His fingers found my sides and I giggled uncontrollably.  
"Oh god, baby, stop!" I laughed loudly, writhing under him. He buried his face in my neck and blew raspberries against my flushed skin.  
"This is so unpleasant! Edward, no!" My hand raised and tangled up in his hair.  
"Are you going to tell Emmett?" He asked over my screams.  
"No! No!"  
"And why not?"  
"Because he'd mess up your face; and then I'd be forced to end it with you." His fingers stopped and he smiled at me.  
"Good girl." He nodded and I held my stomach, gasping for air. "Now come 'ere." He pulled me towards him and spooned me.  
"You're such... An ass..." I gasped, feeling his hand sneak under my shirt to rest on my stomach.  
"Mmm... You love me anyway." He kissed my jaw and I smiled. I moved my hips back into his a little more, and lifted an eyebrow.  
"Somebody's excited."  
"More like horny as fuck." He grunted, his thumb tracing the bottom of the cup of my bra. I'd decided that it'd be best for us to withhold for a few weeks after our disagreement. So it ended up being about six weeks since we'd last made love, including our three week hiatus.  
His hips shifted against my ass and I sighed as desire started to stir in the pit of my stomach.  
To fuck or not to fuck?  
"Edward..." I whispered, he shushed me and his hand moved back down my stomach to cup me over my yoga pants.  
"Baby, how can you deny me when you want it so badly?" He whispered before kissing my shoulder. I involuntarily shifted against his hand and blushed when I realized just how wet I was. "You're soaking through your pants, gorgeous." He moaned and my eyelashes fluttered. If he'd stopped talking I probably would have been able to have control myself.  
"Looks like you missed my just as much as I missed you." His middle finger thumped against my clit and I whimpered. "Baby, you're killing me here."  
"I thought you just wanted to cuddle." I said pitifully.  
"I do... But, I need you." His lips pressed against my throat and I tilted my head to give him better access. I moved away from him and pushed his shoulder so that he laid on his back. I whipped my shirt over my head, leaving me in a black lacy see through bra that I choose just for him. He made a choking noise and I smiled, before straddling his thighs. I leaned over and undid the buttons of his shirt.  
"Dear god you're gorgeous." I blushed and leaned over to kiss him. His hand tangled in my hair and he slipped his tongue into my mouth. And then...  
His phone rang.  
He groaned into my mouth and I just sighed and pulled away. "Where are you going?" He asked over Salt n Pepa blasting Push It; the ringtone his mother set for herself.  
"You need to get your phone..." I sighed.  
"Not really, it's just Mum."  
"And she'll keep calling until you pick up." He sighed and moved to stand up.  
"Fine, but when I get back up here I want you naked."  
"Mkay." I bit my lip and watched him disappear down the steps. I quickly she my bra and other clothes and folded them up, placing them on the nightstand. On second thought I picked up my thong that he never got to see and went to the banister.  
"Hey, mum." He sighed from downstairs as he adjusted himself. "Yeah, we made it here safely... Yep, she likes it." His words were rushed and I snapped from above him. He looked up and I dangled the thong above his head before letting it drop. "Oh god... Mum I've got to go-" there was another pause and Edward gagged. "Gross, bye." There were a couple of quick footsteps and then he appeared at the top of the steps. His pants were undone and his shirt was completely off.  
"You little tease." I smiled as he came up and pined me against the banister. He attempted to jiggle it for a moment and then bent me over it once he thought it was sturdy enough.  
"Stick that ass out, baby." He whispered, holding my hips in both hands. He shuffled behind me a little and then a warm hard mass smacked onto my ass. I reached back to grab that delicious cock and he smacked my ass, with his hand this time.  
"Nuh uh, baby." He put his cock against my pussy, thrusting so that it didn't go in, but we both got some friction. He reached around me and sunk his middle finger into my sopping cunt.  
"I need you, fuck me." I panted.  
"I don't think this banister can handle how hard I want to take you right now." He said, pulling us away and taking me to the bed. He gently lowered me and crawled over me.  
"Edward?" I whispered, kissing up his jaw. He'd gone still and sighed.  
I immediately froze, cupping his cheek. "What's wrong?" He shook his head and began to slide down my body, dropping kisses on his way down.  
"I don't think I'll be able to last very long, but I want this to be good for you." His fingers slipped and slid through my wet lips, driving me crazy.  
"You always make it good for me." I said truthfully. "And I just want you, now come back up here and give it to me." He nodded and came back to me. He grabbed a condom and I shook my head.  
"I got the shot. I just want to feel you." He nodded, kissing my neck. He lined up with my entrance and I hummed with pleasure as he pushed in, stretching me.  
"Oh fuck." He hissed when he was fully in. I smiled and cried out when he pulled out and thrust back into me. "Ah, so tight."  
"Yes, Edward, fuck me, baby!" I screamed as his pace picked up and he drilled my needy sex.  
His head dropped and he took one of my nipples into his mouth. I moaned loudly and scraped down his back, gasping at the red marks there.  
"I'm sorry." I whispered before screaming when he rubbed against my g-spot.  
"Don't apologize." He panted in my ear before kissing my shoulder. "Mmm, I love you." He said quietly, cupping my cheek, his other arm was on the side of my head, bracing him.  
"Baby, I love you more. Now take me home." I whispered before our lips finally met. He nodded and pulled back, leaning back in a way that made his cock slide against my g-spot. He fingers slipped down my body and twirled around my clit.  
"Yes!" I yelled as he through me over the edge before followed right after me. He collapsed on me with exhaustion and I ran my fingers through his damp hair. After a while he dragged his head from the crook of my neck to the pillow next to my head. I turned so that I faced him and he put an arm over my waist, pulling me closer.

"What'd your mom say on the phone?"

"She said she's glad you like San Diego, and she wants us to be safe. Then she said, and I quote "_safe sex is great sex. Better wear that latex_."" My mouth dropped open and I barked out a laugh.

"Your mother is one of a kind."

"Tell me about it..." He sighed with a roll of his eyes. I felt his eyes making a slow trail up my body and stop at my thighs. "Would you like me to draw a bath?" He asked, kissing my jaw.

"I'd love that." I smiled and he nodded, moving out of the bed. I sat up and clutched the sheet to my chest watching as he disappeared into the bathroom.

My phone rang not long after he left and I answered it with out checking the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Well I see it didn't take you two long to move on to the fornication stage." Alice laughed.

"How would you know? I said one word!"

"Don't ask. Okay I don't mean to ruin your sexual paradise but I just wanted to let you know that Forks Elementary is considering rehiring a few teacher."

"Really?" I bit my lip and tugged my hand through my hair. The bed dipped behind me and Edward dropped a light kiss on my shoulder.

"Really. And guess who's name is first on the contact list for the hiring board?!"

"Alice..." I cupped a hand over my mouth and she laughed from the phone.

"Okay, I'm gonna go, but at least think about it. There's a good chance you'll get tenure, too!" I smiled and thanked her. I turned to look at a confused Edward.

"I might be able to get my job back!" I whispered loudly.

-/-/-

I hope you enjoyed!

At least we know who the blonde is!

Review!


	23. Chapter 22

I bit my lip, the tugging need and curiosity keeping my hands sliding beneath the blanket. I quickly looked back up to Edward's peaceful face as my fingers snuck under his waistband. I touched his limp cock and bit my lip to keep from giggling. I quickly ducked my head under the cover as I wrapped my hand around him and played with it.

After toying with him a second I got a major case of penis envy. Not the whole deep, psychological shit, but the stupid kind that was more immature than anything else. If I did have a dick, I'd just stand around, most likely in front of a mirror and play with myself. I'm almost positive that's what Edward spent most of his time doing as a teenager, but of course that's two different kinds of playing with yourself.

I giggled to myself and shook it side to side, watching it move.

My eyes widened as he started to swell in my hand.

Busted.

"Honey?" He asked groggily, his thick voice making me want to sit on his face.

"Yeah?" I whispered.

"My dick isn't a toy, if you're that bored we can go find you a slinky." I pulled my head back out and looked up at him. He smirked down at me and I blushed.

"Not bored, curious." I said honestly. "But now that you're awake, I don't have to worry about the sleep sex thing being sexual harassment." I chuckled, swinging a Leg over his thigh and grinding my warmth against his hip.

"Well you're mighty eager for someone who claims I broke her only hours before."

"It was the good kind of breaking, like the kind I want you to do constantly." I say softly in his ear before sucking the lobe into my mouth and nipping it. He shivered and I dragged my hand from his shoulder down to press against his nipple.

"Hmm," he moaned, wrapping his arm around my side, gripping my ass as he flipped me onto my back and got situated between my legs. "If we don't stop soon my dick is going to chafe off." He said before biting his lip as he slid into me.

"Just completely off, huh?" I asked, flexing my hips toward him as he filled me.

"It'll be a gradual thing, so slow you won't notice until its about this big." He lifted his hand from my hip, showing me his first finger.

"That's okay, you've done me a lot of good with that finger." I said winking as I leaned up to kiss him. He returned the favor eagerly, nipping at my lip.

"Well I'm a talented guy." He mumbled around my lip before pulling back pushing my leg up until it almost touched my chest. "You're okay with this right?" He asked repositioning himself, I nodded and gasped as he drove into me, making me cry out. I moaned loudly as he rubbed against my g-spot

"God, I can't get enough of you.." He whispered, his eyes moving up from where we were joined to meet mine. The passion and intensity that swam in his eyes took me by surprise, making me gasp loudly again.

"I love you, Bella." He whispered, not breaking our gaze or his rhythm. "More than Anything." My chest tightened at his words and I reached up, trailing my hand down his cheek. He smiled softly at me and rubbed my clit throwing me over the edge. He followed soon after, flexing and looking as delicious as ever as he came.

"I love you too, honey." I said biting my lip and furrowing my eyebrows feeling more and more confused as I came down. "Is something wrong?" I asked, beginning to worry as I looked into his darkened eyes. He shifted off of me, falling next to me.

He smiled and shook his head, resting it in the crook of my neck. "I'm not allowed to love my girlfriend?" He asked, I felt him smile into my neck before pulling back to smile at me.

"Are you dying?" I asked my eyes widening as I cupped his cheeks. Edward was always sweet, but this was uncharacteristic, even for him.

"No-" I held out my first finger, silently asking him to promise he didn't have anything terminal. He locked his pointer with mine.

"You're leaving me?" I sighed.

"No, not ever." I smiled at him, not even caring about him acting weird.

Okay, I cared still, but that was still just as sweet. "Are you sure?" I asked, rubbing my hand over his warm stomach as he pulled the blanket over me. He was still looking at me softly, looking... Outwardly in love. I mean, this was the kind of expression you only see on television.

"Positive. I'm just happy to be here... Before you decided to start whipping my dick around, I was thinking about how lucky I was to have you, to be here, with you." I bit my lip as he spoke and smiled down at me. "I just- I really do love you, honey. As my friend and as my girl. You're my everything." He whispered again. I whimpered quietly as he spoke, my eyes tearing up.

"Don't cry, beautiful." He kissed my shoulder and I bit my lip.

"Don't be such a perfect person." I whispered, looking up at him. He smiled and brushed a few strands of hair from my face.

"Honey, I'm far from perfect."

"I'm well aware, I was just trying to make you feel good." I shrugged, he snorted and reached down tickling my side.

"Kidding, kidding!" I giggled, swiping the last tear away. "You're perfect for me." I kissed his shoulder again and he cuddled into me.

"Now if I fall asleep are you going to start playing tug of war with my dick again?" He asked blinking sleepily at me. I shook my head and draped my right leg over his, turning on my side. He closed his eyes and easily fell asleep again despite my, admittedly, creepy stare.

I bit my lip, realizing I wasn't quite tired. I sighed as my stomach grumbled and attempted to roll from Edward's grasp.

His arm tightened around me and he grumbled, "where ya' goin?" I kissed his chest as I continued to move away.

"I'm gonna get something to eat. Be right back."

"Wait I'll go with you." He frowned, squinting his eyes open. "Why didn't you tell me you were hungry?"

"You were being cute... Anyway, I'll be fine. I'm just going to find something quick." He shook his head and raised up on his forearms.

"Hold on-"

"Honey, go back to sleep." I sighed, sitting on the bed and running my hand through his hair. "That way you'll be ready for some more lovin'." I smiled knowing I'd won as he flopped back onto the bed.

"Don't get... Abducted." He hummed puckering up for a kiss; I chuckled and pressed my lips to his. "Love you."

"Love you more." I bit my lip as I tugged on my discarded clothes from the night before. No one here knew me, especially not well enough to know what I wore the day before. I gave Edward's sleeping form a short wave before heading out of the door, and through the condo. I snatched up Edward's keys and headed straight to his car.

Of course he had to have his flashy Ashton Martin driven down from Forks... I thought as I unlocked and every male head in the lot swung toward the small noise.

"That yours?" A kid in his late teens asked, closing the driver's side door to his car. He walked towards me, slinging a backpack over his shoulder. He flipped his shaggy blonde hair out of his face as he took in the car.

"It's my boyfriends." I said with a shrug irrationally hoping that today wouldn't be the day I get abducted...

_Out of all days..._

"What model is that? She's beautiful." The kid said reaching out to touch the hood.

"I'm not sure, but the car is a _he_. _He's_ beautiful." I clarified with a touch of a lie. "We call him Kutcher." I snickered at my lame joke and the kid furrowed his eyebrows.

"Well, I should get going." I said as the boy just stood there gawking at the car.

"God, you have no clue how much money I'd cough up for a ride in this baby..." He said biting his lip and staring at the car. He lifted an eyebrow as his eyes met mine and I scoffed.

"Uh, sorry. I'm not even allowed to drive this thing. There's no way I'm getting into even deeper shit with him." I chuckled, opening the door.

"Are you sure I can't just-"

"Positive. Hasn't your mother ever told you not to talk to strangers? Much less get into their vans?" I asked, lowering myself into the seat.

"Dude, if I got kidnapped in an Ashton Martin, my mom would be proud." He laughed. "I'm Laurent." He stuck out his hand.

I chuckled and shook it. "Bella," I said, really taking him in. He was an attractive kid, looked almost as old as I was, but an innocent twinkle in his eye told me otherwise.

"Well, this boyfriend of yours can't be too wise, letting you head out here all alone." Warning bells went off as I looked into his light blue eyes.

"Uh, he's on his way out actually..." I lied slamming the car door and turning up the music so he wouldn't be able to hear me lock the doors.

The kid cocked his head to the side, "He is?"

"We're going to breakfast." I said leaning back in my seat as the kid leaned in toward my window.

"Oh yeah?" The boys eyes narrowed and his hand reached for the handle and I started the car.

"Yeah," I said furrowing my eyebrows. As soon as the kids hand touched the metal another hand grabbed his wrist.

"Now, Bella, didn't I tell you that you should wait for me?" I let out a sigh of relief as Edward spoke putting some space between the car and the kid. "You mind?" I put a hand on my chest and let out a heavy sigh.

"No, sorry bro." Laurent held up his hands looking up at Edward before backing up slowly. Edward shifted over more so that I was completely blocked from view.

"Okay, get lost kid." Edward said with a huff. Laurent fumbled over his words before disappearing. Edward then turned to face me and rested his arms on the window sill. "You, my friend, are a trouble magnet." He said, lifting an eyebrow. I turned the car off and let him open my door.

"Baby," I jumped out of the car and wrapped my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist and shook his head. "How'd you...?"

"I had a feeling."

"You're always getting these feelings..."

"You're always in trouble." He retorted, kissing my neck. "What you would you do without me?"

"Smoke, mope and probably fall victim to robbers and-" he pecked my lips to shut me up and I smiled.

"Yeah, you're kind of a mess aren't you?" He asked wrinkling his nose. I bit my lip to keep from laughing and he tightened his grip on my waist chuckling into my neck, the vibrations making me giggle and wiggle in his arms.

"Just a little bit of a train wreck." I said holding my thumb and forefinger an inch apart between our faces.

"Like a small catastrophe." He winked, letting me know he was just joking.

"Yeah, I'm pretty dependent." I shrugged, being completely honest, and comfortable with it. It's not like I could try and hide my shitty misfortune around the guy I was with around the clock.

"Well I guess it's a good thing you're stuck with me, hmm?" I nodded and let him go.

I smiled up at him, tossing him an exaggerated wink. "A great thing." I sighed as my stomach mewled and walked to the passenger side of the car. "Now get in the car, I need to be fed."

"Very dependent indeed." He snickered, sliding into the driver's seat.

* * *

"So I was thinking…" Edward said dragging a wash cloth over my chest as he sat behind me in the large bathtub/Jacuzzi. It was our last day in San Diego and Edward had just gotten in from work.

"Don't hurt yourself with all that nonsense, we wouldn't want you messing up that pretty face." I said lifting my hand to pat his face. He chuckled in my ear and started the wash cloth midway up my torso, trailing it up my side, shifting so that it went over my breast that stuck out over the water. I sighed and tilted my head to the side, pushing my hand into the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Haha." I could almost hear him roll his eyes. "I was thinking that maybe we could try this thing with your parents again." He whispered, ducking his head to kiss my neck.

"This is why we keep you from thinking." I said shaking my head and shivering as his cloth covered hand paid special attention to my nipple.

"It'd be a good idea. Then maybe you could stop hating them and we can all be one big uncomfortable family." I grimaced and shook my head, pulling away so that I could face him.

"Honey, no…" I grimaced. My parents managed to almost ruin my relationship with my best friend, someone who was there for me when they weren't. That in my eyes was unforgivable.

"You can't not talk to your parents for the rest of your life."

"I've done a good job so far."

"Bella, please. I don't want to be the reason your relationship with your parents goes south."

"You aren't the reason, Edward."

"That's not what I meant…" He said shaking his head as he thought of what to say. "I don't want your relationship with your parents to suffer period."

"Shit happens." I shrugged and he came towards me on his knees, wrapping his arms around me, pressing our chests together.

"What will it take for me to convince you that ignoring your parents won't help you in the long run?" He asked, trailing his nose up the wet column of my neck.

"Years and years of research." I said in a matter of fact tone. He smirked into my neck and dropped his hand down my ass, his middle finger tracing down my crease and grazing over my asshole, before reaching my sex.

"How about…" He moved his hands back to my waist and lifted me onto the corner of the tub that had walls on both sides, propping my legs up along the two sides of the tub. "A little friendly coaxing." We both watched his finger as it traced its way up my thigh, making me clench with need. He smirked up at me and sat back on his heels, focusing on his task. He teased me to the brink of insanity; his fingers always near but not close enough.

When his lips met my little nub I bucked against his mouth. "Yeah…" I whispered as his tongue came out to play, swirling and twirling around my clit.

I tangled my fingers in his hair and moaned. "Yeah, this actually might just work."

-/:\-

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	24. Chapter 23

Of course my boyfriends talented tongue is the reason I ended up standing in front of the Swan Estate.

"I changed my mind." I said turning to walk back to Edwards car.

My heart thudded nervously and an intense wave of disgust washed over me as I looked up at the house. Edward's stroking of my arm wasn't doing much good, as it was making me feel like a mental patient.

"You know what I'm suddenly craving?" I asked, turning to face him.

"Filet mignon?" He asked looking down at me, shielding the harsh sunlight with his hand.

"What? No..." I looped my fingers through his belt loop and whispered in his ear. "You, your cock." I lifted to my tip toes and pressed a kiss beneath his ear.

"Later." His sighed, I groaned at his exasperated tone before noticing him bit his lip as he stared at my chest.

"Baby," I pouted and poked out my chest like the whore I was. "We can pull off to the side of the road and mess around in the back seat. It'll be just like high school." I pulled one of his hands up to cup my breast as I arched into his touch.

"Jesus..." He hissed, hardening under his jeans.

"This for me?" I moaned my hand moving from my chest down his until my fingers touched his waistband.

"Always." He whispered, there was a loud creek from behind us and he looked behind me at the house and immediately dropped my boob. "But it's disappearing because of your parents." He gripped my hips, moving me back just a little.

"Maybe if we inch back every once in a while they won't notice until we're in the car and gone." He let out a chuckle and stepped further away from me.

"Not sure that'll work." He smiled and I turned to face my parents. My father stood smiling, as he could probably only make out our outlines without his glasses. My mother, on the other hand, stood with her lips pursed and her arms crossed as she stared at us with her twenty twenty vision.

"Hello, Mr and Mrs. Swan!" Edward called with a wave, his arm locking around me as we walked to the door.

"Isabella, you're the last person I expected to see here." My mother said raising her eyebrow. I clenched my jaw as she blatantly ignored Edward.

"Yeah, me too." I said, my heels digging into the ground to stop Edward.

"It's okay."

"Have you started smoking again, Isabella?"

"Do you _really_ care?" I asked making Edward and dad wince.

"Do you know how bad we look when you can't control yourself?" She asked with an outraged eye twitch.

"Nope, because unlike you I don't give a shit." I sneered, my anger flaring.

Edward ducked his head to whisper in my ear, "Baby, try and keep your calm. Just _try_ and make things a little better?"

"I'm here, I tried a hell of a lot harder than she did." I groaned and he shook his head.

"We're here to make this better." He said moving us closer again. "It doesn't matter who tries hardest."

"Well, please, come in." Dad said stepping aside as Edward finally got me to the steps. "We've missed you, honey." He smiled before it quickly fell. "You didn't come for Christmas." He stated. Edward's eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at me.

"Bella..." Renee's eyes flickered between Edward and me before she smirked. "What _did_ you do for Christmas?" I looked at the floor and shrugged.

"I bought a tree and stayed home." Edward's eyebrows furrowed as he looked to me. "It was fun!" I lied, remembering the tortuous day of smoking and watching Christmas programs.

"Well, of course, sweet Edward joined you?" My mom asked closing the door behind us. I bit my lip and looked toward the kitchen as Edward gulped and dropped his arm from my waist.

"You spent it apart? That's the first Christmas apart in what? Almost ten years?" Renee asked with wide, happy eyes.

"This is obviously a sore subject, Ren." Dad interjected, putting his hand on her arm.

"I just wanted to know. How was it, Isabella?" She asked.

"It was lovely." I lied once again. I felt Edward take my hand and sighed.

"Well..." Dad sighed and gave me a tense smile, lifting his eyebrows as he wiped his hands on the front of his pants. "Can we get you anything?" Dad asked before clasping his hands together.

"I have to admit I'm surprised to see you two together." Mom said with a dark smile as she looked between us.

"Why is that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Well you didn't seem too happy last time you were here." She shrugged taking a long look at my boyfriend. "Come, sit." She lead us into the family room and gestured to the love seat.

"I'll get drinks." Dad said from the door, clearly happy for a short out. Edward and I sat stiffly next to each other as mom sat on the opposite side of the coffee table in her favorite wing-backed chair.

"Edward..." Mom lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow at my boyfriend and I reflexively angled my knees toward him. "You look so much like your father when he was young." She smiled, her eyes studying him from head to toe. He gave her a tense smile and said nothing else. "Just as fit too."

"Mom, what the fuck?" I hissed. "What are you doing?"

"Just making polite conversation." I shook my head and sighed.

"Look, we didn't come here for a long chat."

"Then what are you here for?" She asked. I turned to Edward and he huffed.

"You weren't on good terms when we left and I was hoping you could reconcile but it doesn't look like that'll happen." He said, clearing his throat. "Maybe you just need time."

"Thanks, dear, but I'd rather you not meddle in our familial affairs." Renee said, something sparking in her eye as she looked at him. "Speaking of, Isabella," she turned her gaze to me and it immediately went cold. "Give us a moment." I opened my mouth and she just made a shooing motion with her hand. Edward touched my forearm, his eyes telling me he'd be okay. "Isabella, dear, go." Renee stood and I moved toward the door, not before seeing her take my place on the couch. I went to find my dad and quickly, passed the kitchen knowing he wasn't in there. I cracked the door to his office open to see him swirling a glass of brandy in his hand as he looked out of the window opposite the door.

"Dad?" I said quietly, he jumped in his chair and set his glass down.

"Bella."

"How goes the drink thing?" I smirked trying to move past the shit with my mom. After twenty five years of knowing her it was best to just let things go.

He shook his head and widened his eyes. "Your mother..." He looked behind me, out the door with a lifted eyebrow. "Where's Edward?"

"Mom, wanted to talk to him about meddling in family affairs alone." I shrugged.

"So you abandoned him?"

"He's a grown man, dad. He's spoken with mom before."

"That was before your mother knew you were officially dating." He sighed.

"Yeah, why is she acting so..." I didn't even know what to call it. "I mean, is it the trust fund? You guys wanted me to find a guy or whatever... She just doesn't want me to get the trust?"

"Is that really why you're with Edward?"

I gasped, "Hell no, I'm with him because I love him and I'm admittedly a dependent person." Dad chuckled. "But she's doing this because she doesn't want me having the trust fund? Tell her to stop, I need Edward more than that damn money anyway."

"It's not money, dear."

"Then what-?"

"Your mother has issues with the Cullen's." My eyes widened and I went to sit in the chair I always sat in as a child when I was in trouble.

"What kind of issues?" I asked, hoping that our family businesses weren't the reason she tried to mess us up. "Like bigger than what happened with Christmas?"

He nodded, "Oh yeah. Now look, don't tell too many people but… your mother has had a thing for Carlisle Cullen since he first moved here with his family."

"A thing _for_ or a thing _with_?" I almost screamed. Dad jumped and gestured for me to keep my voice down.

_Why does my life suck?_

"For." He sighed, shaking his head. "I thought it was with, for a good amount of time when you were around six." He bit the inside of his cheek.

"Did something end up happening?" I asked, my heart dropping as I looked at my father's sullen face.

"Uh, no." He shook his head. "She did preposition Carlisle during your senior year of high school." He grimaced and shook his head. I frowned vaguely remembering going to Edward's more often than not, because of the arguing. I was almost positive they were going to divorce before I graduated. The Cullen's always welcomed me with open arms though.

"And?"

"Mr. Cullen shot her down. He's really a good guy, really loves his wife and kids." He said with a nod. "She's-" he sighed. "This is just a guess, but I think your mother is angry about your relationship with Edward because you got the Cullen and she didn't."

"How can you just sit here and talk about it like that's not your own wife screwing you over?"

"She _tried_… she didn't succeed so she hasn't technically done any wrong." I furrowed my eyebrows. "And a divorce wouldn't look good for either of us." I searched his eyes to see him a broken man. My father still loved Mom, he didn't want to lose her. He was better than me, I would have left her ass years ago.

"Dad..."

"It's fine, Bella." He shook his head and I frowned. "I assure you, the Cullen men are a loyal group. But it could potentially get awkward if your mother makes another move on your boyfriend."

I coughed, shocked. "_Another_ move?!"

"Edward has been a good sport about it all but this is getting out of hand-" A good sport?

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I asked shooting out of my chair. It scrapped across the floor and dad's eyes widened. "Good sport?!" Footsteps echoed through the hall and my dad put a finger to his lips.

"Where in the world could they have snuck off to?" Mom asked lightly, there was no response from Edward before pushed the office door open. He gave me a stiff smile and Mom went and stood next to dad's chair, draping an arm over his shoulders.

"How was your talk, dear?" Dad asked, she mouthed good with a smile before sending Edward a look I couldn't quite decipher. He came to stand behind me and I grabbed his hand, moving so I was slightly in front of him. Mom rolled her eyes and cracked a smile.

"We're leaving. Dad, I'll call you later." He nodded and I pulled Edward out of the room.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked him as we headed to the door. I wrapped my arm around his waist to let him know I wasn't angry with him. I was pissed at my mother for putting him in this situation. I knew he wasn't recuperating and that it was probably a bit nerve wracking seeing as he was so much younger than my mother. He was in a shitty place.

"What?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows as we headed down the porch steps.

"This thing with Mom?"

"Woah!" He held up his hands. "There is no thing with her..."

"Don't lie to me, Edward."

"I'm not lying…" He shrugged and pursed his lips. "I mean, she's been _around_ since high school. It's not that bad though, she harmlessly flirts..." He shrugged again and opened my car door, smiling as I sat down. I furrowed my eyebrows as he walked around the car. Of course the flirting wouldn't bother him, he thrived on it. Was he unintentionally leading my mother on because he liked attention?

_This is so fucked up…_

I propped my elbow up on the door and massaged my neck. The car was silent as we took off, and exited the estate. I really just wanted a cigarette… Maybe sometime alone…

"Not again." Edward sighed, his eyes darting to me. "They aren't going to mess us up again, Bella."

"Why are you flirting with _my mother_?" I asked, squinting in confusion. I really couldn't wrap my head around it.

"I am _not_ flirting with your mom. She flirts with me. It's been like that for a while…" He sighed and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "It's just how she is."

"It is _not "how she is"_ my mom doesn't even flirt with her _husband_." I scoffed, scowling at the snow covers street.

"Sorry." He shook his head and his jaw ticked.

"You didn't do anything wrong…" I bit my lip, wondering if I should tell him about my mom and his dad. "She's after a Cullen." I blurted.

Well I guess that settles that.

"She's after a _Cullen_? What does that mean?" He asked with an easy smile.

"It means exactly what it sounds like." I said, sitting straighter in my seat. "She went after your father our senior year."

"Went after him for what?" He sounded as clueless as he was.

"Do people not cheat in the UK, Edward?" I bitched. He sent me a wide eyed side glance and I frowned.

"I haven't been to England in twenty years, Bella." He mimicked what I had to often remind him of.

"My mother tried to get your father to sleep with her." I said slowly, watching his smile fade into a grimace.

"Why would she do that?"

"Your dad is pretty hot…" I shrugged, it was true. Edward was the younger carbon copy of his father, minus the hair and eye color.

"…Thanks?" He cocked his head to the side and I couldn't help but smile a little. "So what, does this make us siblings, because I'm pretty sure incest is illegal?"

"It is, honey. And no, it doesn't make us siblings." I rolled my eyes and he chuckled. "Why are you being so _cool_ about all of this?" It was kind of a bummer that he was still acting normal… or normal for Edward. I was expecting him to freak, and then we could simultaneously flip our shit. _Together._ But I just felt dramatic as he sat next to me smirking.

"Because, there has to be at least one sane person in this relationship. I mean, this isn't really shocking news. Our parents have been close since I moved here. Especially my dad and Renee, they're like what? Best friends?"

"All friendships don't end in sex, Edward." I rolled my eyes and he gave me a 'really?' look. "I mean ours might have-"

"Did."

"-But our parents are married."

"I trust they did the right thing."

"Your _dad_ did the right thing." I shook my head, feeling extraordinarily disappointed in my mother.

"Well, baby, you have to admit. Your mother is _kind of _the Tanya D. of her generation." I sat in silence as I though over his words, lips pursed.

"Oh _damn it!_" I slapped the dashboard and he gave me a horrified stare before caressing the leather on the dash. "Wait, you slept with Tanya!"

"Yeah, well if you're worried about our parents actually having done the deed, they didn't. My dad wasn't the charming, English stud that I am."

"Uh, yes he was, more so than you, because he is a real Englishman. Born and raised. He just wasn't the whore you were." He rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't a whore. I was just practicing to become the sex virtuoso I am now." He scoffed and held out one hand. "You're welcome. And I'm more charming that he is because in England, he sounds just like everyone else."

"Like you do here." I said, just trying to push his buttons. The fading of his accent was always a sore spot for him.

"I do _not_ sound like you people." He grimaced.

"You can't say _you people_, Edward. You've been a citizen for _decades_ now. You speak like us and you act like us. Suck it up." I shook my head, realizing he'd gotten me off track, which was probably his intention.

"Oh so I _am_ an American, but I can't complain like the rest of you?"

I huffed dramatically, "Our parents are _fucking_, Edward! Stay on track. My mother wants you!"

"Shocker! Tell me something I don't know." He pulled into his driveway and I frowned. "Everyone wants me, honey, it's-"

"The face, yeah I know." I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone. "I'll just have to call Alice and we can freak out together."

"You're such a drama queen. Look, I know for a fact my father wouldn't stray, not even for your mom, honey. Everything is still right with the world." He shrugged. "Then, once we get married, your mom will back off of me and head for Emmett. It's a cycle, but it's all going to be okay." I froze at the mention of marriage but he didn't seem to notice my stopping, or his use of the word.

"It's not okay…" I said slowly, trying to keep up with the conversation even though my heart was thudding like I'd run a marathon.

"Don't get weird on me because of the marriage comment, lovie." He smirked with a roll of his eyes as he waited for me to join him on the porch.

"I'm not getting weird…" I said with a terse smile, because I was getting weird. "We've just never talked about this before."

"You are getting weird. But it's okay, we can just Bradgelina it." He joked, picking me up and slinging me over his shoulder. "Play house for years and adopt a bunch of kids from other countries. It's cute."

"Seriously, Edward… Would you marry me?"

"Oh my god!" He squealed, his voice raising a few octave as he put me down and waved his hand in front of his face. "Is this for real?! Yes!" He smashed my cheeks together and kissed me chastely, making me giggle and roll my eyes.

"Edward," I grabbed his hands, entwining my fingers with his. "be serious." I met his eyes and they radiated the same amount of love that I felt.

"Of course I would, baby." He kissed my nose and bent down to pick me up again. "We were obviously meant to be together." He carried me into the living room bridal style and I kissed his jaw with a wide smile.

"Oh obvi." I laughed as he dropped me on the couch, before diving on top of me and devouring my neck.

**-0o0-**

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	25. Chapter 24

**Quick note: I realllyyyy messed up, this was supposed to be Chapter 24 and somehow I just completely skipped over it. So I'm going to post it and then move it back to where it should be.**

"Don't be a crybaby, Em." I heard Edward huff from upstairs as I put my keys on the table by the door. I shook my head and pulled off my coat. Emmett and Rose decided they needed another weekend off as Emily progressed into her fearsome fives. From what I'd seen she hadn't been that bad, a little destructive and very teary, but not terrible. Edward was doing well with her, so far. I started to wonder if his patience had ran out as ascended the stairs.

"Is that my Emmy-pie?" I asked loudly once I reached the landing. The crying got louder and Edward huffed. I rounded the corner and peeked into the room that Emily stayed in when she visited.

"I want my mommy!" She yelled when she looked up at me. Edward folded his arms and sat back in his chair, rolling his eyes. The sight was actually quite comical. Both of my princesses wore beaus and tiaras, Edward had barrettes in his hair and Emily wore red lipstick that was all over the teacups that sat in between them on a short pink table.

"Hey." Edward said jerking a chin at me. Emily cried and stood from the Emily sized chair that she sat in, running to me.

"Aw, honey." I pouted and squatted down, opening my arms to her. She crashed into me and buried her face in my neck. "What'd Uncle Eddie do?" I asked folding my arms around her tightly. Her tears soaked my shoulder as I held her and Edward scoffed. I furrowed my eyebrows at him and stood, bringing Emily with me. Edward stood too and walked past me, tugging a hand through his hair, yanking out the barrettes and his tiara.

"Emily needs a nap." He told me as he headed down the steps.

"No!" She yelled at him, pulling her head from my neck.

"It's not negotiable." He said, he steps not slowing on the stairs. I stroked Emily's hair and kissed her head.

"I don't know what that means." She whimpered wrapping her little arms around my neck. "He's being mean." I frowned and carried her further into the room.

"I don't want to nap." She said as I put her down for bed.

"I'll nap with you." I offered sliding in next to her. She shook her head, her blonde hair whipping me in the face. I laid down and opened my arms for a hug.

"No!" She yelled taking me by surprise as she slid out of the tall bed warily. "I don't wanna nap!" She took off running and I groaned, falling back on the bed. I heard loud beeping from the phone in the hallway and jumped up. When I reached the hall she held Edward's home phone and was pursing her lips angrily.

"Em, what are you doing?" I asked taking it from her and hanging it up before the call went through.

"Mommy said call 911 if I'm in trouble!" My eyebrows shot up and I shook my head.

"No, no, Emily." I sighed setting the phone on a high shelf before lifting her up. When she realized I was taking her back to the bedroom she screamed, a high pitched, earsplitting shriek. I gasped at the noise and laid her in the bed. She yanked hard on my ponytail and my jaw clenched.

"Emily!" I yelled over her as she started kicking. "Please." She stilled under me and narrowed her blue eyes again before letting out another scream. "What would your mommy do if she saw you acting like this?" I asked.

"Spank me. But you aren't my mommy!" She yelled.

"But I can call her!" I threatened. "Screaming and crying is not going to help you get your way around here." I backed away from her after she shut her mouth.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked sounding sad and angry at the same time. I shook my head and turned on the baby monitor, grabbing the part that we hold and tucking it into my back pocket.

"Take a nap." I said shortly, exiting the room and shutting the door behind me. I sighed and headed down the steps, Edward was in the living room nursing a beer when I entered. Even though I'd been the one to bear the brunt of her anger he was still obviously pissed.

"What's wrong?" I asked sitting next to him and turning on the monitor to hear Emily yelling. I turned it to low and took Edward's beer, taking a sip.

"We lost an account today. Kate's." He palmed his forehead and shut off the monitor when Emily started wailing. "Then Em decides that today of all days she should be as bratty as possible." He rolled his eyes. I moved closer to him and propped my elbow up on the back of the couch, running my hands through his hair.

"That's what your dad was talking to you about?" I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking back on the unscheduled meeting Edward had with Carlisle.

He groaned and nodded. "He thought I was fucking her and that my dating you pissed her off so she left."

"Did you sleep with her?" I asked.

"In high school, but that was a while ago." Kate didn't even go to our high school… What the hell? "She went to Port." He spoke of a not-so-close school.

"Is there anyone you didn't fuck in high school?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"I mom." He said raising an eyebrow. I tightened my hand in his hair, tugging it roughly and he groaned. "Ugh." He moved away from me. "I'm not having a good day. Dad's still pissed even though I told him I didn't fuck Kate... How the hell am I going to make up for that loss?" I shrugged and took his hand between mine, placing our hands in my lap. "I'll probably get fired, then you'll be the breadwinner."

"He won't fire you, Edward. I don't think Cullen and Co can afford to lose another Cullen." Emmett had already decided that the family business wasn't his cup of tea and decided being the Mayor of Seattle was more of his thing.

"True, well I guess it's a good thing Emmett's such a disappointment, huh?" I chuckled and his eyebrows furrowed. "I just want to forget about all of that." He sighed. I pulled his hand up to my lips, kissing it before lowering it and pushing it into my breast.

"I can help." I whispered, leaning forward and kissing his jaw.

"Bella..." I arched into his hand and he let out a soft sigh, squeezing my flesh. "What about Emily?" He asked. I reached back and flicked the monitor on, but turned it almost all the way down as she continued to wail. "I know you're hurting, honey. I'm not going to-" I lifted an eyebrow and his eyes flicked to my crotch.

"You don't have to. Let me take care of you, get your mind off of things." I whisper, pressing my mouth to his and giving him a deep kiss. I lifted one hand and stroked the stubble on his jaw and used my other hand to work on his zipper.

"You don't have to..." He whispered feebly as I moved between his legs on the floor.

"Do you not want me to?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. I let go of his zipper and he shook his head, reaching up and grabbing two handfuls of my breasts.

"I just want you to cuddle with me." He said, his hands working in spite of his words. He unbuttoned my blouse, before pulling me up on the couch next to him.

"Okay." I sighed as he unhooked my bra and eased me onto my back. He kissed his way up my stomach, then along the undersides of my breasts. "I'm confused." I whispered as he nipped my skin, making me shiver.

"You've never heard of topless cuddling?" He asked with a smile. I shrugged and Emily's monitor went silent. "Damn it." He groaned pushing away from me after a soft kiss and held the monitor to his ear. We both jumped as footsteps echoed through the hall. He picked up my shirt and tossed it at me, I yanked it on, sans my bra and we righted ourselves on the couch. Emily came toddling around the corner and stood in the doorway, glaring at us.

"I'm not sleepy!" She said stomping her foot. I took Edward's beer from the table and used it as an excuse to leave the room. I chugged the last of it once I reached the kitchen and tossed it into the garbage. Edward spoke lowly to Emily, his tone a lot sweeter than when I first walked in.

They soon entered the kitchen and he put her on the barstool.

"We're hungry, Aunt Bella." She said as he sat on the stool next to her. Edward nudged her little arm and she pursed her lips. "And I'm sorry for being mean." I nodded and leaned over the counter. She grinned pecked my cheek. "Can you make a cake?"

"Not for dinner, baby girl." I said moving to Edwards fridge to take inventory. "Fish, chicken-" I listed.

"Make a chicken!" She squealed clapping her hands. I looked at the shelves and shelves of fish, chicken and juice with a curious eyebrow.

"What..?"

"I need the protein." He shrugged and I didn't ask any more questions. I just shook my head and pulled out left overs from what Edward brought home the day before.

"I want to see the chicken!" Emily insisted with a whine. Edward turned her stool towards hip and pinches one of her lips in each hand before opening her mouth.

"Wha-ah-ooh-oing?!" She asked as he inspected her mouth.

"Looking for your off switch." He rolled his eyes as though that was the most obvious answer.

"I-on't-ave-one." She squealed with a giggle.

"I thought everyone had one." He pursed his lips and shrugged.

"Do you?" She asked with wide eyes as I warmed up a plate. I silently asked Edward if he wanted one and he shook his head no. We'd had a large lunch and I wouldn't be eating either.

"Of course I do!" He said putting his hands on his chest while looking indignant.

"Where?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Onl-" As soon as his mouth was open enough, she shoved her small hand into his mouth. He coughed and pulled her hand out, furrowing his eyebrows and cocking his head as he used a napkin to wipe her hand off.

"What are you doing?"

"I was gonna find it." I snorted with laughter as she stared at him with those huge eyes.

"Only Aunt Bella knows, just like I'm the only one that knows hers." I rolled my eyes as I put the plate in the microwave. "She doesn't even know where hers is." He whispered loudly behind a hand that was on the wrong side of his mouth. His eyes left his niece and he winked at me.

"I don't?" I asked, he shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Oh no, I'm like the button finding guru." He beamed, putting his pearly whites on display. "Nope, but you do have several, I'll show you later." He winked and my vagina imploded.

No big deal or anything.

"Deal." I chuckled, pouring Emily a glass of water. There were four loud knocks on the front door and Edward stood from his stool.

"Be right back." He said heading out of the large kitchen. Emily ate vigorously across the counter from me and I chuckled. "Uh…" Edward trailed.

"What's wrong?" I called, sticking my tongue out at Emily who beamed up at me.

"Can I have juice now, Aunt Bella?" She asked, puckering up her lips.

I nodded and waved her cute self off. "Yep, and free of charge too." I smiled a going to the refrigerator and easily forgetting about Edward.

"Love you!" She squealed pushing off of the counter and giggling as her chair spun in circles. Edward walked back into the kitchen with a shy smile and tugged his hands through his hair.

"You might want to get that." The doorbell rang again and I rolled my eyes.

"What, Tanya back for a romp?" I joked, he pursed his lips and took the juice from me.

"_Haha_, no. It's your mom." My eyebrows shot up and it was a good thing he took the juice or it would have been all over the floor. My stomach knotted angrily as I looked toward the hallway.

"What?! What the hell is she doing here?" Of course this is probably the only place she felt safe meeting me in. Neither of my parents had set a foot in my apartment yet, because people like them don't go to places like that.

He took my hand and pulled me from Emily. "Language…"

"Sorry-"

"Heard it all before!" Em waved her uncle off. "Can I have ice cream now?" Edward shook his head.

"Babe," He cupped my cheek, ducking to meet my eyes. "I know you've been trying with her, and if you want, I can get rid of 'er." I smiled at his cuteness and shook my head.

"No, I can do it myself." He winked at my words and I chuckled, kissing his cheek. He slapped my ass when I headed towards the hall, making me jump. I flipped him off, and he laughed before heading for Em.

"Isabella," Mom said, only about a foot away from me when I turned. "You seem to be misinformed about the Cullens."

_Oh this should be good._

"Come on. I'll listen or whatever." I said begrudgingly as I extended an arm towards Edward's living room, the one that wasn't connected to the living room.

"I know your father told you things about me _falling_ for Carlisle… It's not true, your father just tends to be a jealous man." I lifted an eyebrow, knowing that dad was anything but. My mother however did _tend_ to lie.

"I'm gonna' tell, Aunt Bella!" Emily screamed through loud giggles. She ran past the doorway and mom's head whipped toward the little girl.

"That's _Emmett's_ daughter, right?" I furrowed my eyebrow, wondering what she was trying to imply.

"Yes, you know that mom." Emily ran past the door again and this time Edward was behind her, shushing her.

"Where is she?" Em asked from down the hall.

"She's talking to her mum, we have to be quiet." Edward said lowly, making me chuckle.

"I want to meet Aunt Bella's mommy!" Emily got the right room this time.

I turned to mom and shook my head, a smirk pulling at my lips as Emily crashed into the room. "Uncle Edward said not to come in, but I wanna meet your mommy." She turned to mom and gave her a big hug, taking my mother by surprise. Emily hugged her neck and mom awkwardly patted her back with wide eyes.

"You don't _look_ mean." She smiled patting mom's cheek before moving back to my lap. I blushed and bit my lip. "I think I wanna stay with you, because Uncle Edward is gonna' be mad at me." She opened my arms and pulled them back around her waist, leaning her head against my shoulder as she played with her hair.

"Emily?" Edward hissed from somewhere down the hall. Mom straightened her back, still mildly shocked at Emily's hug and words. Emily pulled my hair up to curtain her face and moved to my side.

"Shh…"

"Are we going to be able to talk?" Mom asked, pointedly looking at Emily. I was surprised to see a soft look in her eyes as she stared at little Emily.

"Yeah, she won't say anything." I said loudly, letting Edward know where we were. He came in shortly after and smiled at me and mom before picking up Emily and slinging her over his shoulder.

"I'm _sorry_…" She drawled, patting his back to console him. He shook his head and closed the door behind him.

"Okay… Well," Mom then launched into a long winded story about her relationship with the Cullen's. She made sure to hit on how close her and Esme were, and how Carlisle was like a brother to her. She also made sure dad received full blame for my worry. I nodded and let her words go in one ear and out the other. I would love to have a civil conversation, but the entire time she was on the defensive, passing blame and denying claims.

"Oh… kay." I nodded, smoothing my palms down my jeans.

"That's it?"

"I appreciate you coming down." I really did, it meant a lot that she made an effort, even though she was pretty much just making excuses, she tried. She nodded and we both stood, looking at each other awkwardly.

"Well," She spoke as I moved forward to hug her. I dropped my arms and she lifted hers for a hug; unlike me though, she didn't stop, she just pulled me into a tight hug.

"I hope we can be better, Isabella." She whispered, I squeezed her, shocked at the humanity that shone through as she spoke. It was also more than awkward so I just stood still.

I played possum, you could say.

"Uh, me too, Mom." I said softly, she kissed my cheek and pulled back with a nod, her walls visibly rising again.

"Alright then, I guess we'll see you at the gala." She nodded, breezing through the door before I had a chance to ask about what she was talking about.

What gala?

**Well I hope you enjoyed!**

**Once again, this was supposed to be chapter 24, before Bella heard anything about the gala…**


	26. Chapter 25

Things with Edward went back to normal much faster than I had expected. He went back to randomly dropping by and I went back to having to convince Katrina that I didn't actually do the shit he made scenes about. Work returned to normal as well, I was going everywhere with him and it was great.

I also hadn't been pressured to speak with my mother again. Thank God for small miracles.

"Bella, love..." Edward called from the door. I gasped around my toothbrush and ran from the bathroom, skirting around the furniture quickly. I wiped my mouth on the way to the door and grinned triumphantly when I was able to get the door open before he started screaming.

I rested a hand on the door and another on my hip as I smirked cockily around the toothbrush.

He lifted his eyebrows and gave me a slow clap. "Your time is improving." He complimented, pulling my toothbrush out of my mouth and kissing me chastely.

"Yours hasn't, what are you doing here so early?" I asked. He looked pensive for a moment before his eyes flicked to my toothbrush he still held.

"Can't I visit my lovely girl at-" he looked at his watch with a wince. "Seven o'clock?"

"This is not an acceptable time to round up." I said pointing at the clock that hung on my wall, reading 6:31 am.

"Meh," he shrugged and stuck my toothbrush back into my mouth. "I wanted a bagel." He walked past me into my kitchen and started going through my cabinets.

"Why didn't you go to the bagel place that's like four steps away from your house?" I asked with a lifted eyebrow as I went into my bathroom again. He shrugged and pulled out a bagel, taking a quick bite.

"Why are you awake at six on Sunday morning?"

"Don't answer my question with a question." I said before continuing with my earlier task of brushing my teeth.

"Don't ask so many questions." He countered from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and spat into the sink. When I came back out Edward was peeling off his jacket to reveal pajamas.

"Well, I couldn't sleep. So I got up."

"Look at that, I couldn't sleep either." He gave me a wary smile as he sat on the couch.

"Okay, spill." I said, sitting down and cuddling into his open arms. I draped my arm over his waist and he rested his head on top of mine.

"You know how much I love you right?" He whispered and I nodded, my stomach twisting anxiously. "You also know how much trouble the face gives me..."

I pulled out of his embrace and he frowned. "What did you do?"

"Tanya's at my house." He said, biting his lip. My jaw dropped as I stared at him.

Just when things were starting to get normal again...

"Why the fuck is she at your house?!" I screeched, looking at the clock. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Booty call." He said before pursing his lips. I felt my face flush in anger, I was outraged.

"Well I hope you know that at this point of our relationship it's no longer okay for you to ask me to drive your booty call home." I growled before getting off of the couch and walking to the pot of coffee awaiting me.

"I knew you were mad about that!" He said pointing at me.

"I'm not mad about that, I'm mad about this!" I huffed guzzling my coffee. "This is not okay, Edward."

"Calm down-"

"What? No! How am I supposed to be calm when my _boyfriend_ comes over to tell me about his booty call?" I asked before pouring then downing another cup of coffee.

"Don't be so dramatic, Bella. It was just a call, doesn't mean she got the booty. I'm in a monogamous relationship, thanks for believing in me though." He rolled his eyes and stood from the couch, coming to lean on my counter.

"Sorry..." I sighed. How the hell was I supposed to react when he told me that? Pat him on the back?

"It's okay, you're cute so I'll let it pass." He winked and I blushed again. "But seriously," He sobered up. "Tanya's still at my house."

"Why'd you let her in?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Southern hospitality." He retorted as though it were a perfectly valid reason. "But hey, don't I get props for leaving and coming here?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, "No... You let her in and left?"

"Yes. I mean, explained that I only sleep with you now." He shrugged, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my nose.

"I hope you used a different term." I said, my lips quirking up.

"Nah, you know how extremely limited my vocabulary is." He shrugged, leaning back so that he could see my face.

"You came here so that I could help you get rid of her, didn't you?" He nodded and looked down at the minimal amount of cleavage showing over my tank top.

"She won't leave." He whimpered, his eyes still glued to my chest.

"Well let's go." I sighed and he bit his lip trailing a finger down my neck to the tops of my breasts.

"Actually I'm kind of horny, can we have a quickie before we leave?" He asked, cupping my braless boob with a groan.

"No." I answered; I just wanted to bitch at Tanya and then sleep. He pouted and I sighed, bunching the bottom of my shirt up in my hands. I lifted the front of my shirt up to my shoulders and he groaned, palming himself over his jeans. I leaned up and kissed him quickly before lowering my shirt.

"Fuck..." He hissed. "God... When we get back..." He said before palming my cheek. I patted his stomach and said nothing as I headed to my bedroom.

~-!-~

"She's still here." I huffed as we got there a half hour later. Tanya's bright red convertible sat in his driveway making me grimace.

"She said she'd wait." He said biting his lip. "Well I told her I was going to the bathroom." I left the car and took off up the steps, not waiting for him. I used the key he gave me and entered the house.

"Edward?" Tanya's nasally voice called from the family room. I marched in and put my hands on my hips, looking at her lounged on his couch, decked out in lingerie that probably cost more than my car. "What are you doing here?" She asked sitting up and making her negligee ride up. I scoffed and furrowed my eyebrows, truly not believing this shit.

"Oh _damn_..." Edward's voice was strained as he came into the room, getting a good look at her. "She was not wearing that when I left..." Yet, despite his words, my temper went from zero to sixty.

"Tanya, you should go." I gritted, palming my forehead. "Edward and I are together, he's no longer interested, dear." I shook my head and she gave me a doubtful stare, sitting up and crossing her legs. She leaned over on the couch, using her arms to push her tits together as she looked over my shoulder.

"You sure? He looks pretty interested to me." She said lowly, trying to pull off sexy and instead sounding asphyxiated.

"I'm not." He said with affirmation. "I told you that."

"Really?" She pouted her overly injected lips at us and tilted her head to the side. "Because I think I see my fatty coming out to play..." She said biting her lip. My anger that had been steadily rising peaked sharply as I spun on Edward.

"Is she talking about your _dick_?!" I hissed and he nodded, looking rightfully ashamed.

"Tanya, stop." He growled.

"You've changed so much since high school, Edward." She shook her head. "You used to be fun, back when you didn't give a shit about this one." I rolled my eyes and Edward scoffed. There wasn't even a need to justify that with a response. Edward had always cared about me, whether he wanted to fuck me or not.

She stood and stepped closer to us. "You remember? Prom, with me and Lauren. That was a good night…" She winked and I pursed my lips. "After we got rid of her." I winced and Edward let out a harsh breath.

"Tanya-" He huffed.

"Oh, she doesn't know?" She pointed at me and I looked over my shoulder in confusion. "Poor girl. Didn't even realize she'd gotten ditched after her first time. And for us none the less." My face burned angrily as my fists clenched at my side. She was asking for it, she was well aware that I knew about Prom. I'd had enough.

"If you aren't out of his house in five minutes I'm going to beat the shit out of you, Tanya. How dare you say that?" I growled, trying to think back to the last and only fight I'd ever been in.

Prom, junior year. It was actually Lauren, Tanya's best friend, and mine at the time, and I fucked her up.

"You go somewhere else." I told him, he gave me a wary look before heading off. Tanya's sultry look faded into one of severe cattiness as she watched him leave and then looked at me.

"God, Isabella," she rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself. You're waiting your time; we all know he's just slumming it with you." She snapped as she snatched up all of her shit.

"Yeah what the fuck ever, whore." I scoffed, watching as she walked past me to the door. "If you ever do some shit like that again I will ruin your nose job first and then I _still_ won't ask questions." She let out a frustrated scream and left the house, slamming the door behind her.

"Fucking idiot." I rolled my eyes as I stared at the door. Edward's footsteps crept up behind me and I clenched and unclenched my fists.

"Thanks, baby." Edward said biting his lip as he looked at me. They shone with lust and I huffed.

It was ridiculous to be angry about something that happened eight years ago, but Tanya's mention drudged up old feelings. I'd pretty much gotten over the whole prom thing, but it was still a sore subject.

"No problem." I said stiffly. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing his hard cock into my ass. "Is that for Tanya?" I asked, pulling away from him.

"Are you serious?!" He scoffed. "Baby, I've been hard for you long before Tanya. You look sexy when you're mad, that made my problem worse." He pressed a kiss to my neck and I tensed.

"I'm too fucking pissed to even…" I huffed and shook my head.

"Yeah?" He asked, grinding into my ass as he brought a hand up to grope my still braless chest. Heat reflexively rushed to my legs and I leaned back against him as my stomach clenched. He grabbed my shirt and whipped it over my head, spinning me so that I faced him before he lowered his mouth to my nipples. I let out as shaky sigh as his light but delicious licks and sucks. He easily lifted me off the ground, his hand pressed to my lower back so that I arched into his mouth. I wrapped my legs around his waist and moaned as he nipped the side of my breast.

"Still too mad?" He whispered into my skin before trailing kisses up my neck until he reached my mouth.

"Just make it hard." I whispered, my anger converting into raw lust. His green eyes darkened as he stared at me and I grabbed his hair.

"Upstairs." He growled, before setting me on my wobbly feet. "I want you naked when I get up there." I nodded and hurried up the stairs, when I got to the top I shed my pants and pulled my hair out of its pony tail. Edward was upstairs with me in no time, pushing his pants down his hips as he stood in the doorway.

I kneeled on the end if the bed, beckoning Edward with a finger. He came to me and grasped my hips, pushing me onto my back. He braced himself above me, his cock resting against me. He rocked against me, setting my nerves on fire.

"I need more." I gasped, he reached down and grabbed my thighs. He pushed my legs apart and slid down my body slowly.

"I owe you, baby." He said looking under his lashes at me. He placed a kiss on my navel. I held my breath as he breathed in my scent. He held my gaze as he spread my lips and ducked his head giving me a languid lick up my slit. My breathing picked up at the sensation and I grabbed his hair, too impatient to wait on him. I lifted my hips to his face, grinding against his mouth.

"Ung," I moaned as I bucked against him. As delicious as it was I needed his cock. _My_ fatty. "Come up here, baby." I groaned, tugging on his hair. I moved from under him and he turned onto his ass, allowing me to mount him.

"This is mine." I hissed, grabbing his cock and leading it to my soaked lips.

"Of course." He said gripping my hips and slamming into me.

"Fucking..." I dropped onto him heavily as the image of Tanya on his couch flashed in my mind, making me growl. My eyes narrowed and I flipped my hair over my shoulder. Edward's hips bucked off of the bed, meeting my thrusts roughly.

His eyebrows were furrowed as he looked down to where we were joined. His eyes flicked up to mine and he smirked before biting his lip an slamming me into him harder.

My mind switched from being completely immersed in Edward to being furious at Tanya and back again, multiple times. "Fucking bitch!" I growled my hands tightening in his hair.

"Let's keep it dirty, not hurtful." He brushed my hair back and leaned up to kiss me. I braced my hands on his chest and pushed him down. I dropped a kiss to his lips and leaned back, grabbing his ankles. The new angle filled me so much that it almost hurt.

"Not you." I growled rolling my hips against his. "Fucking Tanya."

"Why are you thinking about Tanya?" He asked, tilting his head up and grunting.

"I can't fucking believe her!" I punctuated my words by lifting all the way off of him and engulfing him once again. "Fucking twat." I leaned forward again and grabbed his shoulders.

"Jesus, B!" He winced and pulled my hands from his shoulders, making me fall onto his chest. He flipped us again, so that he could be in control. He lifted my hands above my head, and threaded our fingers together.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so fucking pissed." I relaxed under his hold and he let go of my hand, moving his down, between our slick bodies.

"Just focus on us, baby. You and me." His eyes were pleading as he rubbed my clit. "Forget Tanya, I couldn't give less of a fuck about her. You and me." He whispered before kissing me slowly as his tempo slowed to slow languid thrusts. I nodded and closed my eyes, letting the immense pleasure wash over me in waves.

"I love you." I whimpered, still riding out my orgasm.

"I love you more, honey." He smiled when I opened my eyes and ducked his head in the crook of my neck. I let my free hand reach up and gently tangle in his hair. His thrusts soon turned uneven and shallow, I met his thrusts bringing him closer. I reached down and rolled his balls in my hand, massaging them with the aid of my cum.

"Fuck." He groaned, grinding into me as he came in long spurts. He rolled us over again, so that I partially lay on top of him. I rested my head on his chest and ran my clean fingers through his hair. "That was amazing."

"It always is." I whispered with a nod, watching his eyelids flutter shut. I pressed a kiss to his chest and moved my head to the pillow next to his, watching as he slept.

"Bella," He said softly, long after I thought he'd gone to sleep.

"Hmm?"

"Don't… Don't worry about me with anyone else. Ever." His eyes were soft as he picked up my hand, kissing it. "You're it for me. There's no one else I'd rather be with. Trust me."

I nodded and ran the tips of my fingers over his cheek. "I do… I don't trust her…"

"Don't let her get to you. You know how she is." I nodded and then the doorbell rang, making me jump. Neither of us moved from our positions to get the door. It was quiet for a while and I'm assuming whoever it was got bored and left, until the doorknob twisted.

"Damn it!" Edward hissed. "Not now."

"Edward, how dare you ignore me!" Esme's voice echoed through the house and we both sat up. "I know you're here, I saw your car in the garage and _oh_." She stopped speaking and I lifted an eyebrow. "Well, I'm assuming that it's Bella who's here with you."

"What?" I whispered. How'd she know? Edward shrugged and jumped out of bed, hurriedly donning on clothes before heading into the bathroom and washing his hands, amongst other things.

"It better be Isabella, Edward Anthony Cullen!" She yelled up to him. He rolled his eyes and groaned. "Get down here!" I bit my lip, chuckling at his exasperation.

"It is Bella! I'm coming, Mum!" He called out the still open door. I got out of bed to close it, taking Edward's sheet with me. I went to my drawer and pulled it open, grabbing my extra clothes and a hair tie.

"Edward!" Esme yelled up. He opened the bathroom door and gave me an annoyed wide eyed look. I snickered and headed in after him. I quickly dressed and took care of my hygiene needs before heading downstairs to meet with Edward and Esme. When I entered the kitchen they were both on opposite sides of his island. Edward's cheeks were bright red as she laughed.

"Hey, Esme." I smiled and hugged her.

"Hello, dear." She gestured to the barstool next to her and pushed a folded shirt and bra towards me. "I'm assuming these are yours." My face flushed bright red as I took the clothes, pushing them behind me on the counter.

"I was just coming to remind you about the Rochester's charity event next weekend. I'm sure both of you will be attending?" She asked with a smile, relishing in Edward's and my embarrassment.

"Uh, yeah. Of course." He said with wide eyes before mouthing 'sorry' to me when she turned her gaze on me. Edward had promised that we could just stay home and eat ice cream while we judged everyone there via the televised broadcast. I smiled, it couldn't be that bad…

* * *

Okay, I failed at replying... I'm really truly sorry.

I appreciated each and every review and today I will make it mission to reply.

So... Tell me what you think?


	27. Chapter 26

**Hey, if you have recieved the update for chapter 26 and you're confused as to why you are just reading the same thing it's because I messed up the chapters I posted and skipped the chapter that was supposed to be chapter 24. So you can go back and read that. **

**So sorry for the confusion :(**

* * *

"I don't understand." Alice wrinkled her nose, shaking her head, "Your mother wants Mr. Cullen. But he wants her to have Edward?" She cocked her head to the side and twirled her red pen between her fingers.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen want Edward and I together. They're the sane side of this whole -" I shook my hands in the air. "_Whatever the fuck_." I palmed my forehead and leaned back in my chair. "It's _everyone else_ that's against us."

"Don't be dramatic, Bella." Alice rolled her eyes before studying the paper in front of her and shaking her head. "I bet you can't name more than two people that want you apart."

I held up a hand, "Mom, Tanya, oh and let's not forget all of the other _bitches_ Edward has fucked." I pursed my lips, shaking my head at Edward's less than perfect whore record.

"It must mean he's good at what he does though, right?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"Uh… _Very_ good. But I don't need half of Washington knowing that." I leaned forward and she looked at me over the rim of her cat eye glasses. "I swear, since we told our parents, there have been pictures of us in the newspapers and now everyone knows that _Washington's Most Eligible Bachelor is Off the Market. _I can't walk down the street without some random woman glaring at me. He's not only eligible but he's a heartbreaker!"

"Bella…" She rolled her eyes. "You were friends with him for what? Twenty years? There is no way you haven't noticed this stuff before."

"Alice I wasn't even on the media's radar until a few months ago-"

"I meant with other women."

"No, they didn't give a shit about me because we were _friends._" She rolled her eyes. "He'd come with me, flirt with them and they'd be happy. But his attention is solely on me now." I gloated on the inside... and the outside. "They don't like that."

"Bella, it's not like every woman you see is jealous of you."

"Damn near!"

"This is more ridiculous than I'd thought." I slammed my purse down on the table and pulled out today's newspaper and tabloid that someone dropped at my doorstep every morning when I was in it. It was weird as fuck, but it did keep me updated.

_**Childhood Friends Spotted and Confronted Once More!**_ The tabloid read, a picture of Edward and me in fucking Starbucks, talking to Lauren. She was glaring at me as I sat beneath Edward's arm. His eyes were on his coffee and she was wearing the Starbucks apron. She'd been forced to take on more jobs as her parent's empire crashed around them. She hadn't gone through college when provided the chance because she was "born and raised to be a housewife."

She was absolutely furious when Edward and I walked in; it was the Starbucks in Tacoma because her parents would rather she drove two hours a day than them having people know they were essentially bankrupt.

Edward and I were visiting an on-site at Tacoma and stopped for a latte before we headed home.

"Did she really confront you?"

"She told him that my seeing her struggle scared me into getting off of my ass and hooking up with someone who was essentially my Daddy Warbucks." Alice gasped slamming her folder closed.

"You're lying!"

"Nope. I was stopped in the mall, when I was looking for Esme's birthday gift and some random woman asked how I managed to snag him." Then the woman started crying, I had to give her an uncomfortably long hug to get her to stop wailing. Only to find out that she didn't even know Edward.

My life.

Alice covered her mouth as she started to laugh and I shook my head. "I can't even begin... to understand these women."

"Edward is an enigma to them. He's a gorgeous player, who had it all, and then he just dropped part of what made him, _him_ for _you_." She shrugged waving off my raised eyebrow. "To you, Edward is just Edward. Your best friend. You don't question him because he's always been weird and you get that. That's why he likes you."

I shook my head, wondering how the hell she made it sound so simple. She'd just summed up everything like it was nothing. "What do you mean he dropped what made him, him?"

"Edward Cullen is four things. Gorgeous, rich, eligible, and a player." She shrugged, ticking off her fingers as she spoke. I frowned, there was so much more to him than that. "His dating you has taken half of _him_ and thrown it out the window. Now he's Edward Cullen, Bella Swan's boyfriend."

"I doubt that will be what he's referred to as…" I frowned, holding up a finger as my phone vibrated. "I'm sorry." She waved me off and looked back down to her books.

"Isabella, I want to buy your gown for the gala." Mom said, referring to the charity ball that Kate Rochester's parents were hosting. Edward and I were being forced into going to this thing, from both sides of our family's. My phone buzzed against my ear to show me that Edward had texted me.

"Uh, I don't want you wasting your money, I can get it myself." I said, trying not to let my pride completely saturate my tone as I spoke. Working for Edward did end up paying very well.

"No, I know that you are still trying to build things up for yourself. Why don't you just buy your jewelry and what not. Or you can have Edward get it for you, he's got money." Her voice held a longing that made me sick.

"Look, to be honest I can get a dress myself. I didn't want a thing from you."

"You will take the dress and I'll leave you alone. Deal?"

One she won't be able to keep.

"Okay, Mom, thank you." Relenting was easier than fighting. "Do you want me to go dress shopping and just tell you how much, or are you picking it out?" I didn't really want her to have the second option, but if she wanted to buy me the dress she had every right to pick it out as well.

"No, you go shopping with a girlfriend or something." I looked up at Alice who lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, what about Tanya?! You two haven't done things together in a while." My hackles rose at the very mention of the bitches name and I curled a lip.

"Mom, Tanya-" I shook my head and Alice put a hand on my arm. "Tanya and I aren't friends. But thank you, and I'll send you a picture of the dress…"

"Tanya? What in the world could you have done? She such a nice girl!" I pursed my lips at her automatic assumption that I was in the wrong.

"She's a whore." I said, grinding my teeth. Mom gasped and was silent for a while before she huffed.

"How could you say something like that about your friend?" She asked, making me want to throw up my hands. Alice shook her head and looked back down at her books.

"I walked in my boyfriend's house the other day, to see her wearing nearly nothing." I huffed making Alice's eyes snap back up to mine.

"Well, that seems like you and Edward have a few boundaries to define." Mom said like it was obvious. I shook my head, my eyes widening with disbelief.

"Yeah, of course." I sighed, "look mom I've got to go, thanks for the dress though."

"No problem, Isabella." I nodded, at a loss for words. "Well, have a nice day and please, get a decent dress." I nodded and ran my hand through my hair.

"Alright, mom. Bye."

"Goodbye." I hung up quickly and Alice's hand smacked down onto the table.

"How the hell could you have forgotten to tell me about that?!" She almost screamed, making everyone in the coffee shop turn to her.

"There's kind of a lot I haven't told you." I bit my lip and checked Edward's text.

_**Have to go tux shopping, looks like we're actually going to this thing. Sorry, babe.-E**_

"I'm being rude," I sighed, "I'm sorry, but may I?" I pointed at the phone and she shrugged.

_No problem, I've gotta go dress shopping anyway. So I'll probably get in late. -B _

My phone buzzed almost immediately. And I looked bashfully at Alice who paid me no attention.

_**Ah, okay. Love you-E**_

_Love you too, have fun.-B_

I looked back up and tucked my phone away.

"Are you ready to go? Because I have a feeling that a coffee shop isn't the appropriate place to have this conversation."

~~/!/~~

I sighed and hung my keys on the board on the inside of the garage door. I'd just come from dropping my dress off at my place and was dead tired. I walked in quietly and pulled off my coat as I went. My little talk with Alice had been draining, to say the least. I'd explained more than just Tanya, telling her about my parents and my financial situation. She'd flipped her shit and stormed out if the bridal shop before coming back in with an uncaring shrug. She only wanted to know why I kept it from her. That was easily answered.

Edward was sleeping in his recliner when I entered the living room, looking all kinds of attractive.

He was shirtless and had a blanket pulled up to his waist, making me hope he was also pantless. Even in his sleep, his lips were pulled into a sexy smirk. I smiled and picked up the remote turning off the television as I debated on whether or not I should wake him.

I, sadly, settled on letting him sleep. I lightly trailed my fingers over his forehead and pushed his hair from his face.

"Are you going to keep poking at me? Or are you going to kiss me?" He asked reaching out and touching my hip. His voice was husky with sleep and my pussy wept for him.

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips, taking his bottom lip between mine. He moaned into my mouth and lifted his hand to my ass, pulling me into his lap.

"I missed you." He sighed as I shifted so that my back was on his chest and I maneuvered between his legs. "I don't like you not being here when I get home. Makes me feel lonely." He pouted, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Sorry, babe." I whispered, moving back so that I could kiss his cheek.

"That's when I came to the realization that I want you always." He pressed a kiss to my neck and my breathing hitched as he grabbed a small black box from the table, bringing it in front of the both of us.

"Isabella Marie Swan, will you do me the pleasure..." I started to subconsciously choke. Don't ask me how I did it, no clue. And I felt him smile into my neck as he opened the box. There, laying nestled in the black velvety fabric was a shimmering silver... _key_. "Of moving in with me?"

_"You know what would be hilarious?" Edward asked as we worked out the costs of our fake wedding and then our fake house for our finance class. Of course I got stuck with him for the thing. Meaning I'd have to endure whispering in the halls, and Tanya and Lauren's bitching for days on end. _

_"You _actually_ helping me?" I asked pointing at the desk as he walked around with my carton of ice cream. _

_He shook his head and spooned out a heaping amount before shoving it in my mouth. "Shh, be happy." He dropped a kiss on the top of my hair and I rolled my eyes. _

_"No, listen. When I get older, like _really_ old, after I've had my fill of hot chicks and getting laid." I rolled my eyes at my virgin best friend. "Once I settle down, get all boring and shit,"_

_"I get the point."_

_"Well when I ask my girlfriend to move in with me, wouldn't it be great if I put the key in an engagement ring box?" He laughed maniacally and slapped a hand against his thighs. _

_"Unless she sees the ring box coming and says no." I said waving a finger at him. _

_"Yeah, that could get awkward." He pursed his lips and leaned over me. _

_"You didn't multiply that right." He pointed at the large chart in front of me_.

My hand came down firmly on his thigh and he jumped, "Jesus, baby!"

"That wasn't funny in high school and it's not funny now!" I growled pushing away from him and stomping out of the room.

"Ah, damn." I heard the footrest of the recliner click back into place and then he was right behind me. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. "Come 'ere, baby. I'm sorry, I thought you'd enjoy that." I pushed his arms away and he sighed.

"Edward!"

"I love you..." He said softly, at a loss for what to say.

"Edward, you jerk!"

"At least I didn't propose that you make me a sandwich." He shrugged, making a smile tug at my lips even though I really wanted to be mad at him. He pointed at me and touched my cheek. "I see you smiling, cutie." I waved him off as a giggle bubbled up in my throat.

"Damn it." I laughed as he pulled me back into his arms.

"Come on, move in with me?" He turned me to face him.

"Fine." I huffed, he beamed and hugged me to him, lifting me so that my toes barely touched the ground. "You're lucky I love you." I joked, smiling just as wide as he was, into his neck.

"Oh tell me about it." I ran my fingers through his hair before I pressed my lips to his.

"I definitely think that we should celebrate." He winked, carrying me into the kitchen and propping me up on the counter. He walked to the fridge and pulled out a seventy eight Shafer, that I'm sure came from his dad. Seeing as we weren't alive in seventy eight... He poured two glasses handing me one before we held them up.

"To new beginnings." I toasted.

"To us." We clinked glasses and I pecked his lips before taking a sip.

To us.

/~/~/

**I hope you all enjoyed!**

**Drop me a review! I love hearing from you!**

**Even if I continuously fail to reply...**

**I'm really sorry... I didn't account for an eight hour rehearsal yesterday so I didn't get to reply. **


	28. Chapter 27

It was bad.

It was terrible.

It was horrific.

It was any and every other synonym you can think of for bad.

All of the people I couldn't stand were stuck in one room with me. Granted it was a large room but our eight person table wasn't as large. Someone, who obviously hated me, put the tables together based on age, assuming it'd be best that way.

It wasn't.

Our table was pretty much a table of our old clique in high school. Mind you, Edward, Emmett and I were the only ones that still liked each other from that clique. Tanya, Lauren, Tyler Crowley, Emmett, Rose, Edward and I sat around the large table looking disgruntled. My parents, the Cullen's, the Denali's and another couple I didn't recognize sat at the table to our left.

I couldn't help but shift awkwardly in my chair as my mother blatantly flirted with Carlisle. Every time I glanced at their table, she had a hand on his arm, or was leaning in to him too much with an overzealous laugh. While I was so amazed and annoyed by Charlie and Esme's nonchalance, the same shit was happening right next to me. Not only was _Tanya_ all over my boyfriend but Lauren was too.

"Come on, babe." Edward said with a chuckle. "At least try to look like this isn't killing you." Edward said as the skank duo headed off to the dance floor. He rubbed my shoulder and I nodded towards our parents who were all laughing and appearing to thoroughly enjoy each other's company.

"How do they do it?" I asked, biting my lip. He turned to look at our parents and smiling at his mom when she waved.

"They feel secure in their relationships, Bella." He said a hint of sadness in his tone. I shook my head and looked up at him. He'd turned around and was solely focused on his water glass.

"I'm secure in our relationship, but those bitches still piss me off." I said quietly. I reached up to cup his cheek and he grabbed my wrist, holding it still as he turned his head and kissed my palm.

"They also don't have the same history as you two do with the Bleach Blonde Bimbos." Rose piped up, making me furrow my eyebrows. "It's a bit of a different situation." I turned to her and she shrugged. There was no way she could possibly know what we were talking about.

"Don't give me that look. You of all people should know by now that I am the eyes and ears of this family." She rolled her eyes. "I know all about your mom and Carlisle. It's a little ridiculous that you're worried about it _now_."

"Worried about what?" Emmett asked around a mouth full of food. Edward wrinkled his nose in his brother's direction and I giggled. No matter how well put together, and nicely dressed Em was, he was still an oaf at heart.

"Nothing." Rose sighed.

"What do you mean _now_?" I asked, leaning forward curiously in my chair.

"This has gone on for years. If something was going to happen, it already would have." My eyes widened and I resisted the urge to throw my hands into the air.

"Why did everyone and their mother know about this before me?" I asked, looking back to Edward who shrugged.

"Baby, no one talked about it because it isn't anything to worry about." He shook his head and put an arm over the back of my chair, massaging the back of my neck. "You're going to give yourself an aneurism if you keep stressing about this. Don't worry about it. They're adults and so are we; we've got our own drama to deal with. Let them have theirs." He said, sitting back in his chair.

"I guess…" I sighed looking into my lap. Edward stood from his chair and pulled mine back a bit. "What are you doing?" I asked, looking up at him.

"We're going to mingle and have a good time." He said, casting a glance at Tanya and Lauren as the approached the table. He held out the crook of his elbow and I took it warily.

"Oh Isabella, I'm glad you've gotten your life back on track." Mrs. Carmen said with a smile as she laid a frail hand on my arm.  
"I'm sorry?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.  
"Your parents told me about you letting go of your roots, throwing your life away. What a shame." She shook her head, looking at the floor with a shrug. I glared at her and her frumpy purple smock with annoyance. Of course a woman I haven't spoken with in three years would assume I was throwing my life away because I cut myself off.  
"I didn't let go of any roots." I shook my head, lifting a confused eyebrow. The woman grinned and patted Edward's face. He sent her a dazzling smile and she batted her eyelashes.  
"I'm glad you've got sweet Eddie here to help you though." I sighed and shook my head. "Good for you dear. Your parents, heck, all of us were waiting for this to happen. I'm just surprised you didn't make a public announcement. Let the cronies know that you're taken." She gestured over her shoulder at Tanya and her dogs that were standing by the bar.  
Edward snorted and my eyes widened. Mrs. Carmen, also known as Mrs. Denali was Tanya's mother. They were never the closest mother daughter pairing but… Jeeze.  
"Thanks." I said with a surprised chuckle. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.

"So..." Mrs. Carmen looked over her shoulder nonchalantly and lifted her wine glass toward her lips. "When's the wedding?" She asked before taking a gulp of the alcohol.

I coughed in surprise and Edward rubbed my back. "No time soon, Mrs. Carmen, we've not been together all that long." He said smoothly.

"Oh god." Another small woman approached Mrs. Denali with a roll of her eyes. "Looks like we'll be waiting another ten years. You two..." She shook her head and Edward chuckled leaning forward to kiss the woman on the cheek. She quickly turned her head though so that his lips met hers and winked at me. I furrowed my eyebrows at her and she waved me off.

"You know I don't do cheeks, dear." She shook her head.

"Of course not, Mrs. Mallory." He said with a cautious glance my way as she lifted a hand and wiped the remnants of her lip gloss off of Edward's mouth.

"Mrs. Mallory?" I asked, my voice holding unnecessary surprise. The woman looked different every time I saw her, it shouldn't have surprised me. Even with her families being financially unstable she still managed to get another nose job or face lift. Of course I should have recognized her by her overzealous greeting, it was unmistakable.

"Of course! Hello, dear!" She pulled me in for a hug and smacked a kiss on my lips as well. "How are you?" She asked with a bright smile and sharp eyes. The woman hasn't been able to even _tolerate _me since my high school years so the smile was more of a shock than the glare.

"Fine, and you?" I asked, my lips sticking together a little due to her lip gloss. Mrs. Denali rolled her eyes and handed me a towel.

She ignored my question and turned back to Edward. "Well maybe if they hold out long enough one of our little girls will have a chance." She giggled before turning to Mrs. Carmen who didn't look as amused. Mrs. Mallory tossed a look over her shoulder to Lauren who quickly looked away when my eyes followed her mother's gaze.

"I don't think we'll be waiting that long this time, right, babe?" He asked pressing his lips to my temple.

I shrugged and turned into him, resting a hand on his stomach. "It's your call." I said with a lifted eyebrow, before wiping more of the lip-gloss from his mouth. He winked and kissed my forehead.

"Okay, okay. I'm here." My grandmother trotted up from who knows where. She looked gorgeous as always in a sleek but age appropriate black gown. "I'll entertain the wolves." She smiled and I hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek. Mrs. Denali and Mrs. Mallory just chuckled, knowing the worst they could do was stand against one of the oldest and most powerful socialites there was in this part of the country.

"Mrs. Swan, always a hoot." Mrs. Mallory gushed. Grandma gave her a dirty look and reached up so that she could hug Edward.

"Good god, you've gotten to be a hunk, haven't you?" She asked pinching his cheek before hip checking me. He shrugged and winked at her and she shook her head. "Cockiness isn't becoming on most.. But on you it works." He laughed and hugged her again, whispering a quick thank you before grabbing my hand and pulling me away.

"Your grandmother is the second love of my life." Edward proclaimed with a laugh as we moved towards the dance floor.

"And your first would be...?" I asked coyly.

"Well your mother of course. I have an affinity for the Swan women." He said earning a slap to the bicep. "Too soon?" I nodded and he wrapped his arm around my waist, holding my other hand up by his shoulder as he started to move us around the floor. "To be fair it was a silly question." He smiled rubbing the tip of his nose against mine as we danced.

"I guess." I smirked and he dipped me back. "Of course I should have known the answer is David." I lifted my eyebrow. A camera whirred past us snapping pictures as it went but Edward and I stayed locked on each other.

"Actually, that leads me into my next point." He said, spinning me out and then pulling me backwards against his chest. "I'm bored."

I furrowed my eyebrows, not quite understanding the connection. "With women?" I asked.

"No-"

"Heterosexuality?" I tried again, he gave me an annoyed huff.

"Stop-"

"With pretending to be British?" He wrinkled his nose.

"No, stop guessing, you're terrible at it."

"Way to break me down." I shook my head with a fake pout.

He ignored me, "The way I see it we have two options." His eyes darted around the ballroom and I leaned in hoping to catch on to whatever he was talking about. "We can find an empty room or closet and get it on like teenagers or we could act like adults and sit through the painfully snobby ceremony." He spun me out again after he finished and I moved back towards him, facing him.

"We are adults... Or at least that's what they think." I nodded to the tables that held our "friends" and family. "Then again our teens were the glory years." He nodded pretending to seriously ponder my words.

"Decisions, decisions..." He mused, as we danced our way to the door. My underwear dampened in a way that made my eyes shoot open.

"Damn it!" I hissed as he let go of me in the hall.

"What?" He asked as I pressed my legs together.

"I need to head to the bathroom." I said, as urgency crept into my tone. He furrowed his eyebrows and I blushed.

"Do you still keep those tampons on you?" I hissed even though there was no one in earshot.

"Tampons? Ew no, I stopped doing that after you forgave me."

"I need to get to the bathroom." I frowned, feeling like I could cry.

"I think this moment is telling us that we are too close." Edward said giving me a wary look.

"That's not funny! Oh but we weren't too close for you to carry a tampon for two years?" I wailed, feeling overcome with embarrassment.

"Don't cry. God, PMS just like snaps on doesn't it? No warning-"

"Edward!" I pushed his shoulder and took of down the hall. I heard his footsteps behind me until I crashed through the door to the Women's bathroom. I darted past the two women at the mirror and into a stall, undoing myself to check my underwear...

Nothing.

I huffed and a tear slipped down my cheek. What a dumbass...

I could've sworn...

"Isabella? Is that you?" Tanya sneered from the other side of the door. I couldn't see her but nastiness saturated her tone.

"Good." I hissed to myself before straightening out my shit and wiping my wet cheeks.

I was reaching for the handle when Lauren spoke, "Tanya, I don't think this is a good-" I pulled the door open and a fist snapped forward, nailing me in the cheek. I gasped and knocked away her arm after she swung a second time.

"You bitch!" Tanya hissed stalking toward me as I stumbled backwards. My cheek stung with a dull ache as I looked at her. "He was mine before you crossed his mind!" She kept her voice low and dangerous, probably so that she didn't alert any guards.

"_What_?!" I hissed cupping my cheek as her foot connected with my leg. My cheeks flushed angrily as I fell backwards, the fabric of my dress sent me skidding until I hit the toilet.

"What the hell is your problem?" I asked looked up at her and then Lauren who looked exited. "You crazies..." I scrambled to my feet, grabbing the skinny metal toilet paper holder from next to the toilet as I stood. Her eyes widened as I pulled it back and swung it at her like a baseball bat, connecting with her waist and sending her into a wall.

Tanya hit the wall and slid to the floor. "That's not fair!" Lauren yelled pointing at me.

"You are jumping me in a bathroom!" I said before the back of my knees were kicked sending me to the floor again. The toilet paper stand skidded away and I gasped.

"Why don't you just agree to back off of Edward? It'll make it easier on all of us." I sat up only for Lauren to kick me in the stomach.

"He doesn't want your poor ass anyway! He called me last week." She lied, "Said you were a bore." I shot onto my knees and lunged at her. I landed on top of her and through punches, aiming for her face as she blocked it.

My neck was grabbed by Lauren, who with surprising strength pulled me off of her friend. I, once again, went sliding into the wall.

Another set of heels clicked into the room as Lauren and Tanya approached me. Tanya who's eyes glowed with rage didn't give a shit though as she threw a bony punch into my stomach, making me wheeze. Lauren's heavy hand shot across my face and I stumbled to the side, managing to see Rose come up quietly behind the women.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" I groaned in pain and Tanya pulled back a fist only to have Rosalie grab her bleached locks and yanked her down, backwards. My blonde friend threw a fist into Tanya's cheek before dropping her.

"Edward!" She screamed as Tanya went for her while Lauren kneed me between the legs. It hurt but, being a woman, not as much as she intended. When she made contact there were two distinct rips that I ignored. I grabbed her hair, taking the tip from Rose and pulled her in my direction before dropping my shoulder so that she hit the wall.

"Rose?!" Edward's distinguishable walk echoed across the bathroom before he stood at the door to the handicap stall we were in. Once he took in the scene he yelled for more help before pulling Rose out by the waist and then coming back in for me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and literally lifted me from the floor as he walked out.

"What the hell is going on?!" He hissed as guards rushed through the door. Rosalie shrugged nonchalantly and I leaned over, giving her a big hug.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly, her stone blue eyes locking on mine. I nodded and turned to stop Edward from fussing over me.

Apparently word had spread extremely quickly and Emmett and a group of others joined us in the bathroom.

"Let's..." Edward gestured to the door. I nodded as he pulled me into his arms, leading me out of the bathroom. On the way out I caught my mothers disgusted eye and ducked my head to prevent seeing her disappointment.

Once we were outside Edward cupped my face, giving me a critical once over. I was a little shaky after the debacle and very bruised, I was sure.

"What happened?" He asked quietly after pulling my shaking frame into a hug, I felt pitiful.

"I walked out of the stall and Tanya just _decked_ me." I said softly, letting him pull me in tighter as we headed into the dining hall. "I just don't know why...?" Except, I did kind of know. She wanted my boyfriend and was angry when she couldn't have him. It was still a little outrageous to attack someone because of a little jealousy.

"I think they're just jealous because you are much more beautiful than all of them on the inside and out." Edward said as we crossed the dining hall. I rolled my eyes and he offered me a cute smile.  
"I think they're pissed because you're off the market." I groaned realistically, flipping the wet napkin over and pressing it to my nose which was apparently bleeding. "Maybe going out the front door isn't the best idea." I said grabbing his arm and coming to a stop.  
"Why? Everyone who would make a big deal about this is in here." He said looking over his shoulder to see Carlisle and Esme marching over to us angrily. I cringed under their glares as they met us.  
"Stupid whore." Esme growled, "This is the last time she'll be invited to my events." She growled, pulling a tissue from her clutch before starting to fuss over my face. I sighed, relieved that she wasn't angry with me. Rosalie soon appeared behind her in laws and flipped her hair over her shoulder.  
"I've got you." She winked and nudged my arm as she passed us, arm in arm with Emmett who desperately tried to shield them from cameras.  
"Thank you," I said earnestly, stopping her and hugging her tightly. She nodded and waved at the rest of the peeved group around her. Emmett tugged her from us and through the front door, most likely wanting to get out before the press or police showed up.

"And you know what?! Mallory's dumb ass should have left you alone. We'll sue her for everything she's got." Esme continued to rant. "All five dollars that is." She rolled her eyed and nudged a stoic Carlisle. I bit my lip and Esme's eyes locked on mine, immediately softening.

"Are you all right?" She asked with a shake of her head before she pulled me into a hug. My nose started bleeding again and she made me tilt my head back. Carlisle had pulled Edward to the side and they spoke in hushed tones a few feet away from us. "You should come home with us, honey." Esme whined as she looked over my shoulder. Carlisle cast us a glance and said something about Esme being drunk, which explained a lot.

"I'll nurse you back to health, it'll be like you're my little girl all over again." She wailed, throwing her arms around me and tucking my head into her neck.

"Isabella!" My mother's icy voice snapped from behind me. I pulled my head from Esme's grasp and looked up at her. Mom stood bone straight, with my father giving me a sympathetic look from behind her. Esme pouted at me and patted my back before letting me pass her and going back to her husband.

"I asked you to be civil, just this once!" She waved her finger at me and my heart dropped. "And you're in the bathroom fighting like you're in fucking high school!?" I blanched at her use of the f-word.

"Mom, I-" She held up her hand and my chin fell to my chest, as I felt unfairly berated.

"No, Isabella! You are a disgrace!" She said loudly, garnering looks from those immediately around us.

"Renee! Shut the hell up!" Esme barked from behind me, taking my arm and pulling me behind her. Edward caught me as I stumbled backwards and pulled me into his chest. "You should be ashamed of yourself for saying that to her!" My stomach churned as they argued and I turned into Edward's embrace. Mom leaned around Esme, still yelling at me as Edward pulled me backwards.

"You're officially cut off! I don't even want to-" Carlisle stepped forward and held Esme still as she moved closer to Mom.

"Edward, go." Carlisle said before Edward pulled me towards the door.

"Baby, it's alright." Edward whispered in my ear as we were escorted through a crowd of loud, fast talking, camera snapping bodies.

"Isabella! What happened to your _dress?!"_

"_Cat fight, Isabella?!"_

"_Is this Edward's doing, Isabella?!"_

I kept my head down and Edward helped me into the limo. Once I was safely in I bit my lip, my chin still tucked to my chest.

"My place please." Edward told the driver who'd picked us up earlier in the day. We were silent for a few minutes until the seat next to me shifted and Edward's thing pressed against mine.

"It's alright. Everything is fine." He soothed, kissing the top of my head. I held my hand out for him and he took it, lifting it to his lips. He laid a soft kiss on my hand and wrapped his arms around me.

"I mother was tipsy-" He said uneasily as he brushed my bangs from my face.

"She was provoked." I whispered, putting a hand on his thigh.

"By who?" He shook his head.

"Me, Mom was completely sober."

"Bull. You were jumped in a restroom. That's no reason to-" By that point he was fully in the cockney accent then he stopped and his eye twitched. I patted his chest.

"She was looking for a reason to fly off the handle at you. Fucking ridiculous." He picked up his keys and spun them around his finger.

"It doesn't really matter..." I whispered biting my lip.

"It does matter because she's hurting you." I gulped and shrugged a shoulder. "When you're hurting, I am too." I swallowed thickly and pulled up my knees a bit. "I love you, babe. More than my own life."

I blushed and hugged him tightly. "I love you too." I tilted my head up and he wiped a tear away with his thumb.

"My sweet girl." He murmured before pressing his lips to mine. "Maybe we can convince Em to give your Mom a good dicking, then we can move on." He huffed, an irritated edge still in his voice even though he was joking. He pulled my hair out if my bun before resting his head against my neck.

"Whatever happens, everything will be _fine._" I pursed my lips and gave him a sly, disbelieving look.

_I've heard that before. _

**(^)**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**I'm sorry for the delay!**

**But please review!**

**BTW: For those of you reading even though you dislike the story…(?)… Have no fear. The end is near.**

**I'm not even going to attempt replies though. I'm **_**SO**_** sorry :( Opening night for the musical is this Thursday and things are **_**super**_** crazy D:**


	29. Chapter 28

"One month of prison or some obscene amount of money for bail. I don't remember how much..." I said as I sat on the couch and stretched out across Edward's lap. He patted my hip and ran his fingers through my hair.

"Yeah?" He whispered furrowing his eyebrows. His prescheduled meeting was at the same time as the trial and sentencing so he'd missed it. "You should've pressed charges."

"I have no need to. I'm not permanently hurt and I don't need her money." I sighed playing with his fingers.

"She assaulted you in a bathroom." He said, incredulity permeating his tone.

"I think what she got is what she deserved." I sighed and he went back to pulling his fingers through my hair.

"I don't."

"The less I have to see her, the better. I'm done dealing with her and all of her crap." I shrugged and looked over my shoulder as Alice and Jasper waltzed in. We were having a small get together, to celebrate the end of the trial and the moving process.

"I would have pressed until she got what was appropriate for her actions."

"But you probably wouldn't settle until she's in for life."

"Not life, two hundred years." He smirked; I giggled and shook my head.

"And to think you slept with her." Alice called from the kitchen as Jasper fell into the recliner to the right of us. I tensed at her words and Jasper let exhaled in annoyance. Edward sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Alice..."

"Not my fault it's true." She said giving Edward a dirty look. I rubbed my boyfriend's thigh and gave him a sympathetic smile. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"We're just here to chill, Alice..." Jasper said with a sigh.

"I'm chilling." She rolled her eyes and plopped down a stack of papers, pulling out a red pen.

"What about Lauren?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow and turning from Alice back to me.

"She is in considerably worse condition…" I said, biting my lip. "She admitted that Tanya paid her an sizable amount of money to come after me."

"What the fuck?" His eyes widened and I shrugged. "She paid her?"

"I mean, it makes sense… Lauren needs money so who's better to ask?" It was fucked up, sure. But it was all over now and I'd accepted it. "Calm down." I patted his cheek and kissed him chastely.

"I can't even…" I ruffled his hair and he huffed. I turned and looked toward Alice who was working studiously over at the table.

"What could you possibly be grading?" I wondered, knowing there was no way any Pre-K kids were doing anything too complex. She bit her lip and her fingers tightened around the pen. I looked to Jazz who turned his eyes to the ceiling.

"I've picked up your afternoon classes." She said softly after a while. "You know, my kids are only half day..." I pursed my lips and nodded.

"How're they doing so far?" I questioned softly. My being fired didn't affect how much I adored the kids. Nor did it anger me that she ended up filling my slot.

"You've taught them well," she smiled over the papers and I went toward her, sitting next to her. The majority of the papers had high marks and the few that didn't I pointed out why. Some of the kids had learning impairments and when worked with, showed how truly bright they were.

"Zachary," I pointed at the familiarly messy handwriting on the paper. "He's dyslexic. It's not in his file yet, because, well you know how fucked the system is." I sigh with a shake of my head. She nodded and looked up at me with sadness in her eyes.

"You really liked these kids didn't you?" She said softly. I nodded and shrugged with a soft smile.

"Of course I did. They were a great group; I wish I'd been able to finish the year with them." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Our quiet conversation was interrupted as the guys screamed from the couch, yelling things at the referees about bad calls.

"I wish you still worked with us, B. It certainly did suck less. The administration and board has gotten even worse, now that we're short on money, and teachers." She rolled her eyes and huffed. "They're thinking about hiring more teachers to cover their losses. Like, the English department for instance. They're hiring two teachers..." I bit my lip, they'd fired four of us the year before and that set the entire department back one third of their staff. "You know, four classes have been taught by substitutes for the longest time… I may have submitted-" the doorbell rang and then the sound of the door swinging open and hitting the wall made me jump.

"Emmett," Edward groaned pushing off of the couch. "What the hell, man?"

"Little ears!" Rosalie barked right as Edward disappeared into the hallway. There was a loud smack in the hall and he came scurrying back into the room. He hurried to get behind Alice and I as Rose stalked her way after him, Emily's hand in hers.

"Mommy, don't hurt him!" Em yelled running and leaping into her uncles arms. "You say worse!" She accused once Edward held her firmly. Her finger jabbed out and pointed at her mother. Edward 'ooh'ed' at Rose and she rolled her eyes.

"You tell her, kid." Edward laughed, fist bumping her before loudly kissing her cheek. Emmett sauntered around the corner a few moments later waving a key.

"Don't listen to him, Em. He'll get you in trouble." He said wrinkling his nose and shaking his head as he pointed at his brother. Once Emily's attention was off of him he hugged and kissed Alice and then me, as did Rose.

"No trouble." Emily said, mimicking her father's actions with an adorable pout. "Bad Uncle Eddie." She scolded, hitting his nose with her pointer finger before smashing her face against his cheek. "Just kidding. I'm not mad." She whispered loudly before slinging her torso my way and grabbing the back of my chair. Edward yelped and grabbed her waist tightly so that she didn't fall. I grinned and turned to her, letting Edward place her in my lap.

"Hello, princess." I nuzzled my nose against hers and she giggled.

"Hi, cutie!" She pressed my cheeks together. "I missed you! Is Uncle Edward keeping you from me?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows. I met Edward's eyes with a chuckle.

"Sadly, yes." I pouted, she shook her head and wagged a finger at Edward.

"No, no." She wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "She's mine." Edward scoffed behind me and Emily reached back, patting his stomach.

"I disagree." He said before Jasper, Emmett and Rose started screaming by the television again. Emily twisted to look over her shoulder at Alice and gasped with wide eyes.

"I'm Emily!" She beamed as though she'd just now noticed Alice sitting next to us.

"My name's Alice." Alice greeted with a bright smile. "Aren't you adorable?" She chuckled tapping Em's nose.

"I am! You're smart _and_ nice!" She grinned, pushing out of my lap so that she could stand next to Alice and talk her ear off. I used that as an invitation to collect the beers around the room. Rose, after noticing my effort, got up and took the few bottles I couldn't into the kitchen.

"Thanks," I smiled at her as I set the bottles down. "Look, I really can't thank you enough for what you did." I said, my chest warming as I thought about her saving me. She huffed and put a hand on her hip and the other on the counter.

"You can and trust me, you have." She said with a scowl making me feel self-conscious. "But I only did what anyone else would have done. It's not like my 'Bella senses' were tingling. That's more of Edward's thing." I snorted and that cracked her mask, the corner of her lips lifting infinitesimally.

"Anyone else would have ran to get Edward, and probably a paycheck from a sleaze magazine for the story." I said, curling a lip as I pushed a stupid tabloid her way. On the front was a picture of Edward and I, my face removed and replaced with one of a triumphant Tanya.

_**Local Sweetheart Loses Fight, Trust Fund and Beau In One Night!**_

I rolled my eyes as a picture of me getting into the limo with a torn dress was placed in the middle of the story. Of course Edward, who was standing to the side of me when I was climbing in was completely cut out of the photo.

"But you fought for me, and even though you might have just been looking for a thrill," She pointed at me and then tapped her nose. "I'm still really thankful." Rose let out a heavy sigh and heavily set her bottles on the counter.

"You're welcome!" She almost yelled before pulling me into a reluctant hug and holding me there. I gasped and patted her back in shock.

"-probably killing each other..." Edward laughed before rounding the corner and freezing in his tracks. As soon as he let out his soft gasp Rose was a foot away from me, glaring at him.

"Way to ruin a moment." She sneered before flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and leaving the room. Edward gaped at her retreating form before looking at me and pointing in the direction she went in.

"She hugged me." I whispered, in shock. I rushed toward him and grabbed his biceps.

"What the hell?" He whispered with wide eyes. I nodded and let out a shocked giggle. His gaping mouth was replaced with a soft smile as he looked down at me.

"What?" I whispered wondering if I'd missed something, as my mind whirled with happiness and confusion.

"You're so fucking cute." He said leaning down and pecking my lips.

"You're pretty cute yourself." I winked, draping my arms around his neck and standing on my tippy toes.

"Tell me something I don't know." He winked and patted my ass, before walking us backwards.

"Like..." I pretended to think, "I love you?"

"Nope, dig deep, babe."

"I was born a man." I said with a straight face. We locked eyes for a moment before both falling into fits of laughter.

"That's my girl," he chuckled, lifting me off of the floor and pressing our chests together as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I playfully nipped at his jaw and he hummed, turning to meet my lips with his. We slowly kissed, our lips sliding sensually against each other. When I pulled back his eyes were dark, the best kind of dark. I wiggled out of his arms and stuck a finger through his belt loops pulling him after me.

"Take off your shirt." I ordered as we disappeared from view of the living room. I led him up the staircase and then headed into the bed room. As soon as the door was shut he yanked my shirt over my head.

"This is the best idea you've ever had." He whimpered as he flicked the clasp of my bra open. There were two heavy knocks echoed through the house and Edward huffed. I bit the inside of my lip, frustrated because I was positive no one else would get the door.

"Who else is coming?" I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist and arching my chest into his. His eyes rolled up into his head and he dropped his head into my neck.

"I don't fuckin' know..." He grunted, reaching down and grabbing two handfuls of my ass. "But I need to get the door… Be courteous and what not…"

"Of course." I rose to my toes and pressed my lips to his pouted ones. He opened his eyes, the bright green pulling me in, making me want the throw him down and fuck him on the spot. Forget the guests, and-

"Isabella?!" My mother's bitchy squawk pierced my ears and I cringed. Someone, most likely mom, started climbing the stairs and I was quick to slip into my bra, Edward hooked it for me from behind and helped me back into my shirt. Unfortunately by the time mom made her way to the door we didn't have time to find Edward another shirt, since he'd left his on the back staircase.

I yanked a hand through my hair and pushed Edward onto the bed, climbing up behind him and staring at his shoulder as my mom pushed open the door.

"Well, this rash doesn't seem to be clearing up, honey." I said before rubbing Edward's shoulder sympathetically. He nodded and gave me a sad sigh as Mom ogled him. Both our faces were bright red, mine from anger and well, hers obviously from seeing my fuck-hot beau half naked. "Now go put on a shirt." I whispered, sending him off, he shot into the bathroom with a wave towards my mom. She unabashedly watched him leave and I snapped.

"Mom, you can't just barge in here like that." I huffed, straightening my shirt.

"And you can't just go sleeping around before marriage. But you don't hear my scolding you!" Edward poked his head out, from behind my mother. His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he yanked a t-shirt over his head.

"What do you want?" I groan to her. She straightens her navy blazer and then her scarf that probably cost more than my car and old apartment combined.

"I came to apologize, upon your father's requests." She curled a lip and tilted her head back, so her chin was slightly higher. "Apparently I '_made a scene at the gala'_." She rolled her eyes, and sneered at me. My eyes widened and Edward stepped out of the bathroom. She splayed out her hands by her hip and shrugged. "So this is me apologizing." She turned to leave. "And we've decided to give back your trust; things seem to be working well."

"I'll leave you two to talk." Edward said quietly, kissing my forehead before he left the room.

"Look. I don't apologize; so you take this to heart." She hissed, pointing at me. I swallowed thickly and nodded, my actions relaxed her slightly and her hand dropped. "And if you ever pull anything like what happened at the gala in public again, I will disown you." With that she spun on her heel and left the room.

My jaw clenched at the threat and I hurried after her, stopping at the top of the steps as she sped down them.

"Mom?" I called, noting that my father and Edward were standing in the foyer chatting it up.

"What, _Isabella_?" She sneered, not sparing me a glance.

"You never _actually_ apologized." I put a hand on my cocked hip and lifted an eyebrow. She froze on the spot and turned to glare at me. It was a bitch move but my god, she deserved it.

"_Ren_." Dad huffed as he and Edward turned to look at us. I kept my eyes on my mother's seething face and she shrieked.

"I'm _sorry_, Isabella. _Happy?_" She lifted her eyebrows and I nodded with a small victorious smirk, sending her fleeing from the house with dad going after her. It wasn't much but it was a start and a damned good one.

_Ecstatic._

**.^.**

**So Renee wasn't run over by a cart of chickens… Or bludgeoned with a tricycle… But hey, not everyone gets their comeuppance in RL… **

**This was the last chapter-chapter… Next up is the epilogue.**

**Review!**

**Again, replies will be sparse because opening night is the 28****th****... *shakes hands nervously***

**But I will try and type out a few replies backstage…**

**So yeah! Review (In a pleasant way?) :DD**


	30. Chapter 30

**Epilogue**

**Eight Years Later**

"Alice, I promise, I won't be late for the presentation. You can count on me." I sighed biting the inside of my cheek as I pulled the mail from my mailbox. She started ranting over the speaker and I lifted my shoulder higher to my ear so that I could hear her better.

"I've been organizing shit for years now, Alice. I know how to keep track of everything." I rolled my eyes. Even with my being back at Forks Elementary, I was still assisting Edward with things over at Masen and Co. which he'd recently taken over. Carlisle left it to the two of us so that he could retire with Esme and move back to the UK for a while.

"Promise?" Her voice shook over the speaker and I frowned, knowing how nervous she was. She had a meeting with the Board of Education and our super intendant. It wasn't the regular checkup that was given by the vice principal every month. This time she was also going to address the new teaching method they wanted to enforce in the school. We didn't think it was beneficiary to the children or the teachers and we were planning on rebuking it together tomorrow. It was a tricky move on my part, even dangerous for my job.

"I already promised. But for you, I swear. I'll even be early." I smirked and pushed open the door to my house, dropping my purse, school bag and keys by the table inside. I covered the speaker and squinted my eyes as a loud thumping shook the walls. "Where the hell?" I turned my head every which way, trying to see where the noise could possibly be coming from.

"Bella?" Alice questioned from the phone. I put it back to my ear and winced as the silver platter that was displayed over the small table clattered to the ground.

"Alice, I'm going to have to call you back later. But don't worry, I will have everything finished and I'll be there on time." I nodded affirmatively as I picked up the plate and set it on the table next to my keys. It had fallen before and I'd found out then that it was impossible to hang up. Pulling off my jacket with a heavy sigh I hung it on the nearest coat rack and went in search of the noise.

My phone buzzed on my hip and I pulled it to my ear, without looking at the screen. "Hello?"

"Isabella, your father and I want to help you celebrate your promotion." My mother's tone was clipped, as usual and I rolled my eyes. "You and Edward meet us at the club tomorrow, for a celebratory brunch." I bit my lip to keep from being unnecessarily bitchy towards her.

"I've got a presentation for the board, Mom." I sighed, stopping my search and leaning against the wall. "And Edward is meeting with Thompson, you know about the merger…" It was only the biggest talk of the town, the two largest architectural companies coming together. Thompson was almost as big, almost worth as much us Masen & Co. but they were losing all of their big wigs, their CEO, CFO and a whole bunch of other acronyms were retiring and Edward saw the opportunity and wanted to take it on.

"Of course I've heard of the merger. Congratulate Edward for me when you see him." I nodded and hummed into the phone, her mention of Edward making me curious as to what the hell he was doing.

"I will. Listen, why don't we just turn the brunch into dinner or move it to another day?" I questioned, turning the corner to see my empty, messy kitchen. Looked like Edward had attempted grilled cheese… or maybe it was lasagna. I wrinkled my nose and scratched the black residue on a plate with my finger nail.

"You know your father and I are going to Italy with the Cullen's, Isabella." My eyes widened and I bit my lip. It'd taken my mother and Esme quite a awhile to be able to stand each other after the gala thing, and slowly, but surely, they became friends again. Of course Esme made Mom promise to never do anything like that again before even reconsidering their friendship. Carlisle and Dad didn't let that affect their friendship in the slightest though, still going on fishing trips twice a week now that they'd both retired.

"I didn't but no big deal, we'll just do something after-"

"No, Isabella. You of all people should know to put family first."

"That's what we're doing by keeping our jobs, Mom." I sighed as I moved some of the messy dishes to the sink.

"Can you turn down whatever that mess in the background, Isabella?" She groaned. "I can't even hear myself think."

_Isabella this and Isabella that…_

"You're telling me…" I sighed, the thumping was starting to give me a headache.

"You'd think that you and Edward would be a little more mature in your age. It's a little inappropriate to throw ragers, wouldn't you agree?" She growled. I rolled my eyes, when the hell have I _ever_ thrown a rager?

"We aren't having a _rager_… or whatever it was you called it. I don't know what they're doing, but it's a little late for _anything_ at this point." I frowned looking at the clock above the stove that read eight thirty. "Edward?" I called, knowing it was futile with all the noise he was making.

Mom sighed heavily on her end, "Anyway, we'll be gone for a month so I guess we'll just have a late celebration." I could almost hear her roll her eyes, making me want to do the same. I'd been promoted to principal of Forks Elementary last year, I don't think it'd hurt to wait another month.

"Works for me. Look," My eyes fixed on the clock again and I grimaced. "I need to go see what's going on… I can call you later if you'd like."

"Don't bother." Her exasperation was almost palpable, rolling through the phone in waves. "Your father says hello. He also insists on drop off duty tomorrow."

"Tell him I said hi, thank you and that I'll see him tomorrow. You guys have fun in Italy."

"Thanks. Bye." I sighed as my phone beeped, signaling she'd hung up. I finished scrubbing the dishes, and scraping Edward's masterpiece into the trash before taking off to find them again. When I found that the music was coming from the basement, I opened the door squinting into the flashing depths.

As soon as my foot touched the top step there was a loud bark and then our dog, conveniently named Puppy, came galloping up the steps in what looked like slow motion. It looked like slow motion of course until the black lab crashed into my legs, sending me onto my ass.

"Puppy!" I gasped patting the dog's side as he licked up my cheek. "What's Daddy doing, puppy?!" I said with a bright smile as it panted happily at me and licked my nose. I wiped the slobber off of my face and pushed the puppy a bit, so that I could stand. "Let's go get him!" I said patting its butt and watching him haul ass down the stairs. I almost took off after him, but realizing that I couldn't see anything with the light flashing slowed me down. I crept down the stairs one slowly at a time until I reached the landing.

The speakers blasted some One Direction song that was enhanced with an earsplitting amount of bass. It was so loud I could feel it in my chest. I squinted into the room to see every other few seconds of Edward and Emily dancing their asses off. At twelve years old the kid was still as close as she'd ever been with Edward and I and she only got better with age. Her long, slim form moved excitedly to the song, almost mimicking what Edward was doing.

I grinned watching them dance around the room for a second. Edward moved his hips innocently to the beat and I couldn't help but pictures those same hips doing not so innocent things. I bit my lip and my eyelids lowered as I creeped on him. After a bout of darkness Edward bent down and in the next he lifted a little body into the air, shaking the little person playfully before blowing raspberries into their neck. I laughed as her little hands covered her ears and she shook her head at him, saying something that neither of us could hear.

That was my cue to head to the stereo and turn it down a few notches. The two girls screamed making Puppy go wild, I jumped, and Edward flipped on the lights. He lifted an eyebrow at me as Leah clung to his neck.

"I didn't mean to scare you." I said quietly, not wanting to startle them further. "It was just a bit loud." I said sending Edward a pointed look. He paid me no attention and kissed Leah's head, stroking her copper hair.

"It's all good, Aunt Bella." Emily grinned, easily recovering as she skipped up at hug me tightly. I smiled and kissed her forehead. "You wanna join us?"

"I'd love to, but it's bed time for that one," I pointed at little Leah who pulled out of her Daddy's neck to peer at me. "And for me." The yawn that escaped me proved my point and she nodded. "And we need to get you into bed as well, cutie. You've got school."

"I don't think my principal will hold it against me if I'm just a bit late." She grinned, hugging my waist again.

"Of course she wouldn't. But Mr. Jenks might." I pinched her cheek as I spoke of her teacher. She rolled her eyes with a light smile and waved at her uncle before patting her leg and leading Puppy up the stairs. I headed towards Edward who smirked at me over Leah's curls.

"It's just Mommy, baby girl." He said softly, kissing her hair. She turned towards me, leaning back in Edward's arms.

"Bad Mommy. You scared me." She said quietly, wagging a finger at me.

"Did I?" I said, faking shock before I nipped at her little finger, making her giggle and stretch out towards me. "I'm sorry, precious." I said peppering her face with kisses. She scrunched up her nose and turned back to Edward.

"Hey." I said softly as our daughter maneuvered between us.

"Hi." He lifted my left hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my ring finger that held the token of our promise and love. "I missed you." He pushed my hair back behind my ear.

"If you'd stop leaving me, we wouldn't have this problem." I pouted, earning a short, four year old appropriate kiss on the lips. She still eww'ed anyway and pushed his face away.

"You know I wouldn't if I had the choice." With this merger business he was traveling up to Thompsons different sites around Washington and Oregon to check on things, on his investments. "Everything is going well though, so it looks like I won't need to go back for another few months, personally." He'd just gotten back from a five day trip to Oregon and despite the short period I'd missed him terribly.

"Months?" I smiled, he nodded and kissed me again before pressing another kiss to Leah's cheek.

"Tell Mommy what we did, baby girl." He urged before mouthing that he was going to clean up. I furrowed my eyebrows before noticing the cups and paper plates that littered the basement. "You guys head on up, I'll be right behind you." I nodded and started up the steps, carrying my little one who was starting to get a little too big for that.

"Do you think Daddy talk weird?" Leah whispered, playing with my hair as I sat her on the couch and sidled in next to her.

"No, do you?" She shrugged and I did too. Edward still had a feint accent, but after almost thirty years of knowing him I didn't notice it at all anymore.

"No… but Brianna says he talk funny, she say I do too." She scowled and I sucked in some air through my teeth. Leah had somehow taken on a feint accent that matched her fathers and it was the cutest thing I'd ever heard.

"And what'd you say?" I traced the slope of her nose, Edward's nose and her lips, mine, pulled into a tight line.

"Nothing." She shrugged and I sighed with relief. "I hit her. Ms. Daniel's put me on yellow light. Uncle Emmett gave money so her not to call you. Cause he tell me-" My relieved sigh turned into a groan.

"I know what he told you." I grimaced shaking my head. Earlier in the year Emmett had informed his niece that punching and hitting was okay, whenever you felt threatened. My little Leah however, didn't know the meaning of threatened and went on a punching rampage soon after. "Remember what I told you. No hitting…"

"Unless I gets hit first." She said with a nod, leaning into my arms as her eyes started to drift closed. "Me, Daddy and Emily had fun, Mommy." She said with an adorable yawn. "We ate the cookies you and me baked."

"Were they good?"

"They always good!" She grinned shaking her head and making me laugh. "Then we partied. And Daddy messed up dinner. Then we partied until my ears hurt." She rubbed her hand over her tiny ear and wrinkled her nose.

"Will you kiss it?" She asked, not moving. I nodded with a smile and leaned over, kissing her ear.

"Better?" She patted her ear for a second before widening her light brown eyes and nodding.

"You gots magic kisses, Mommy." She mumbled, almost stumbling over her words as she turned in my lap, pressing her face into my stomach. "Love you, mommy."

"Love you too, baby girl." I smiled before lifting her so that her head rested in the crook of my neck.

"Wha…?" She muttered.

"I'm taking you to your room, it's bedtime." I said quickly heading up the steps so I could put her down before she got fussy.

"Daddy's not gonna read to me?" Total Daddy's girl. It's okay though, I was too.

"Of course I'm gonna read to you." Edward said coming around the opposite side of her bed and tucking her in. I looked at him with surprised eyes to see him panting; he winked back at me making me blush.

"Puppy and I raced up here." Puppy darted into the room soon after and I laughed. "I wasn't going to miss…" He pulled a book from her shelf and read the title. "Love You Forever shall we?"

"We shall, Daddy." She said with an adoring smile up at him. He nudged her over in the bed and slid in next to her, leaning back against her headboard as he opened the book. He cleared his throat and his eyes flicked up to mine. "_I'll love you forever; I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be_." He started, giving me another wink before turning his attention to Leah.

I kissed her head again and touched Edward's shoulder before leaving the room in search of Emily. She was in the shower when I walked past the door so I continued on into our bedroom. As soon as I entered the room, a bin of photos on the bed caught my eye. I pushed my hand through my hair and cast a glance over my shoulder as I pulled out a photo. I studied it for a second before gasping, my shaking hand dropping the picture.

My hand cupped my mouth for a second as tears filled my eyes. "How…?" I quickly picked up the photo again, but the tears didn't stop. It was the picture of Edward, Leah and I at the hospital, right after Leah's birth. I looked absolutely exhausted, as did Edward, but we both also looked like we were on top of the world as we stared at our baby girl. My fingers traced over his face and I smiled at the complete adoration in his eyes as he stared at us. The same adoration that had been present for twenty eight years and counting.

I set that photo down and dug into the case, pulling out another one. I smiled at this one too, it was the picture of Edward and I after I'd told him that I was pregnant. I sat looking mildly terrified and equally as excited in Edward's lap. He sat with his arms around my waist and his head buried in my neck as he grinned like a loon. An extremely attractive loon.

It'd taken the two of us three, almost four years to have a child. I was steadily climbing toward thirty and my eggs were showing that, overly so. We'd been told that we wouldn't be able to conceive, and that if we managed to conceive it was most likely going to be a miscarriage. We'd believed that for a while, but we never really stopped trying, we both wanted it so badly… It was selfish, that we might lose a life just because we wanted something. There hadn't been a miscarriage though, I carried my little Leah full term and she was the most gorgeous, healthy baby I'd ever seen.

The next picture I pulled from the bin was a remake of the one we'd taken almost fifteen years ago. Edward behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist, playfully beaming as I scowled at the camera. Except the house wasn't the same. It was our new house, the one he'd designed and built his self. His first house, our first house had been severely burned after a grease fire, that went off when no one was home. It was said to have been lit, but both Edward and I had been at work at the time, Leah was with Carlisle and Esme, and no one else who had a key would attempt to burn down our house, as far as I knew. Only half of the house was burned but that sent the second story crumbling down into the fire, taking everything we owned, all of these pictures with them.

Tears streaked down my cheeks at the memory of coming home and seeing our house reduced to ashes. That was one of the worst days of my life.

_Three Years Before_

"_What in the world?" I squinted through my windshield wipers as I saw that my street was blocked off. I pulled off to the side, parking next to the car and got out, opening an umbrella for the pelting rain. I went to the seat behind me and undoing Leah, making sure she was shielded from the rain, and the biting coldness. I put on her jacket and hat before I yanked her stroller out from the floor and quickly assembled it, placing her in it. Once she was settled I tucked the blanket in around her and handed her a stuffed animal._

"_Maybe we should call Daddy?" I whispered, almost to myself as she giggled and squeaked in her stroller, clutching her stuffed bear. I zipped my own jacket and stuck Edward's golf umbrella into the umbrella holder on Leah's stroller._

"_Dada!" She cried loudly as I walked through the gates blocking off the street. People rushed around everywhere and not once did anyone say a thing about what was happening. I weaved the stroller through the thick crowd, filled with police men, firemen, and my neighbors._

"_Excuse me?" I tapped on the shoulder of a large man in front of me. He turned slowly and made to wave me off. _

"_Look, I'm busy, ma'am." He groaned, palming his forehead._

"_Please, I just want to know what happened." I said, pulling Leah's stroller in closer to me._

"_There was a grease fire a little ways down, huge fire." He said before holding up a hand and grabbing his helmet, moving away from us. I walked after him and tapped his shoulder again. _

"_Do you know if anyone was hurt?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows. We weren't the best of friends, but I knew our neighbors pretty well and I was praying no one was hurt. I desperately searched the man's exasperated eyes and he shook his head._

"_No, we don't know. Now, please, ma'am." He escaped into a thick group of people that I wouldn't have been able to get Leah through in the stroller. I maneuvered my way through the crowd of shocked faces and umbrella's, looking for someone else to explain._

"_Isabella!" Mrs. Mallory waved me down, which despite the crisis shocked the hell out of me. The woman has avoided me like the plague since the incident at the gala. "I'm sorry, dear." She whispered linking her arm with mine and barging past people she didn't deem worthy enough to be in her path. Once we'd made it significantly farther I looked up at my house, or what used to be my house. There were literally just beams, and ashes on one side of the house. The other half was burning a little but not as badly as the left side._

"_Oh my god, no…" I whispered, my hands going to my cheeks as I stared at my house. I had no clue how long I'd stood there, eyes wide as I stared, but after a moment Leah got fed up and started kicking in her stroller, making it rock into my legs. _

_I ignored her though as my heart dropped into my feet. Everything of Leah's, all of our pictures… _gone. _ Furniture, televisions, that shit was all just materialistic… My photos were memories. They were everything._

_I yanked my phone out of the compartment in the stroller, my stomach rolling with anxiety as I called my Edward. His phone rang four times, before going to voicemail and making my eyes go wide. I checked my watch, he was supposed to be in a meeting with his father about the transfer of the company, but those meetings also didn't last long and he always picked up his phone. My eyes roamed over the house until the black Mercedes sitting in the driveway caught my eye, simultaneously ripping me straight down the middle._

Edward.

"_Mrs. Mallory, have you seen my husband?" I almost shrieked, despite our close proximity._

"_I can't say I have." She shook her head and I called him again. His phone went straight to voice mail this time and I stopped another officer._

"_Do you know if anyone was in there?" I asked as he walked past me. He shrugged and I went back to my calling. "Oh my god." I whispered as his phone went to voicemail once more. He never ignored my calls and he always had his phone on him. Just as it started to set in that the love of my life might have been in the house burning before my eyes._

_"Please?" I frantically pushed the handle of Leah's stroller towards Mrs. Mallory. She nodded and I took off around the stroller, ignoring Leah's cries behind me. My heart thundered in my chest, threatening to break through my chest. _

_"Hey!" I yelled at a fireman who was jogging toward me. Fuck courtesy, my home was turning to ashes less than two hundred feet away from me and no one would tell me a thing._

_"Ma'am, you need to get back..."_

_"I need to know where my husband is!" The man gave me a weird look, shrugged and walked away. I grabbed the arm of the next guy that past, jumping in his way._

"_Was there anyone in the house?" I asked, he lifted an eyebrow at me and I almost smacked him. "Please, it's my house, I just have to know…"_

"_No… We haven't found anyone yet…"_

Yet.

_With his words ringing in my ears I moved out of his way. I looked back up to the flames that engulfed my home. Tears raced down my wind frozen cheeks as I realized everything I'd known for the past few years was gone. My home, Edward's home and Leah's home. All of our valuables, and pictures that were priceless burned like wood in a fire place._

_Just like that. _

_I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand and my phone vibrated on my hip as I headed back to Leah, who watched our house in bewilderment. I held it up to my ear, in mild shock. "Sorry, I was in the meeting still, babe. What's up?" Edward's voice was apologetic and extremely comforting, but I lost it anyway, bending over stroller as I sobbed._

_I finally mustered the strength and my wits enough to whisper, "Baby, it's all gone."_

-!-~-!-

The bedroom door creaked open and I turned to see Emily standing in pajamas with wet hair. "Will you braid my hair, Aunt Bella?" She asked before her eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you crying?" Edward stepped up behind her, his expression matching hers.

"Em, why don't you let me talk to her, for a second?" She shrugged and gave me a sad wave before letting Edward in. I stepped to the side and he focused on the box. "Oh..." He smiled and took my left hand, drawing me in and taking the picture from my hands.

"How'd you?" My voice was thick with tears. He smiled softly at me and brought my hands to his lips.

"It's taken awhile." He shrugged with a nod, pulling me in to his chest. "Certain people had copies of a few things," he bent down and picked up the picture of us after he found out about Leah. "This came from Mum." He smiled, staring at it lovingly. He backed away from me, before leading me to the bed and sitting down, opening his legs. I settled in between them and he set the box in my lap, watching as I latched onto it.

"Dad had these." He pulled out an elegant white packet, wrapped in a ribbon and handed it to me.

"Edward..." I whispered pulling out the picture of us kissing at the alter seven years ago. He brushed my hair over my shoulder and pressed a kiss to the base of my neck. He traced a finger over the small cursive 'E' and 'L' tattooed there.

"I had them copied and repackaged." He shrugged wrapping his arms around my waist. "This one was actually in Forks General." He smiled picking up the first picture of us with Leah. "It was up on the cork board of new parents, you know the one outside of the Nursery. I got Jasper to let me copy it."

"_I'm going to mess this kid up." Edward whispered, turning his head towards his mom. His eyebrows were knitted with worry and he was worrying his bottom lip. I squeezed his hand and he smiled worriedly down at me, reminding me of my breathing exercises. I ran my thumb over his palm to soothe his nerves when I realized he was shaking._

"_You will be fine. Your father said the same thing when Emmett was born. And look, we raised the mayor of Seattle." She grinned and elbowed him out of the way so she could stand next to my bed. "Anyways, it's not about you right now. It's about Mama." She grinned and lightly stroked my hair. "How are you feeling, love?" I shrugged and winced as my contractions started up again. She quickly pushed Edward towards me and he held out his hand, looking determined._

"_If we mess her up, we can mess her up together." He said quietly with a wink. I smiled and my contractions hit hard, making me scream out and squeeze the hell out of his hand. He bit his lip and tried not to show that little ole me was hurting him. Esme dabbed my head with a towel and I dropped back against my pillow once it finished._

"_Please get me meds, baby. Please." I whimpered, the pain was so bad that I thought I was going to pass out. "Edward." I roared out as another one hit, making my entire body tense as the pain seared through my body._

"_You said no medication. Even if you ask for it." My mother walked in the room, her coat draped neatly over her arm. The three of us gave my mother shocked looks as she set down her purse and rolled up her sleeves. Edward squeezed my hands and mom walked up next to me on the bed offering me her hand._

"_I know all three of you are angry with me, but you'll have to get over that because I'm not missing the birth of my first grandchild." She said, her voice passive as her hand hung midair._

"_Thank you." I whispered, grabbing onto her hand and Edward's and gritting my teeth with the contractions. The doctor entered the room with a bright smile and clapped once._

"_Who's ready to have a baby?!" He asked happily. His eyes traveled left to right, taking in all of our annoyed expressions._

_"That's usually how they all feel about it." The doctor chuckled as I began loosening my grip on Edward's hand. "Let's have a look see why don't we?" The doctor smiled and Edward's eye twitched. He was more than uncomfortable with another guy "peeking at the goods… even if they were about to poop out a baby."_

_"How's it look down there?" Edward almost sneered from my side. I frowned up at him and another contraction hit. _

_"Oh, alright." The doctor said with wide eyes. "This little one is coming now." He stood and went to the door, calling for nurses. Edward picked up my clenched hand and pulled it to his lips. _

_He kneeled by my side, "This is it, baby." I turned my head and rested my forehead against his. _

_"Oh my god, Edward..." I whispered as a tear slipped down my cheek. _

_"You've been so good throughout all of this. You continue to amaze me every day, baby." His bright eyes pierced my dull ones and I smiled weakly. "I love you."_

_"Mrs. Cullen when the next contraction hits I want you to push." I nodded and Edward kissed my forehead before standing back up and taking my hand again. Mom watched the doctor with the same dismay Edward did but then she too offered me her hand. Esme squeezed in behind Edward, holding her trusty-dusty towel. _

_"Alright, push!" This time the pain hit me like a wrecking ball, so raw that I screamed. My little girl was making her best attempt at ripping me to shreds. _

_"Oh fuck!" I roared, my mother and husband buckling under my grip. _

_"Push!" I turned and glared at Edward who looked worriedly at the doctor. _

_"I swear to every fucking deity up there, if you ever touch me again, I will castrate you." My menacing hiss transferred into more of a maniacal scream as I spoke and pushed. _

_"She's crowning."_

_"Oh god her head isn't out yet?!" I cried and grabbed Edward's arm. "I need medicine!" Holy fuck, I needed to be stoned off of my ass to even begin to cope with this. _

_"Focus on pushing, Mom." The nurse advised. _

_"Please, medicine. Just put me under." I choked as another person told me to push. I channeled all of my energy on getting that baby out. _

_"Okay we can see her eyes." My heart kicked into high speed and I pulled Edward's hand closer. Esme dabbed at my forehead with the towel and I pushed once again, my body trying to reject the pressure that was my daughter. _

_"Her whole head is out," I turned to Edward with wide eyes, shouldn't she have been crying. Why wasn't she crying? _

_"One more push, mom." I shut my eyes and pushed as hard as I could. This time Edward's hand tightened around mine and a small slimy little thing was lifted from between my legs. "There she is!" A nurse quickly suctioned out her nose and the most beautiful cry rang out. My heart swelled with love as they clipped the umbilical cord and wrapped her in a blanket. She cried all through the process, and I started to bawl. _

_My baby..._

_I bit my lip as I watched them weigh and clean my baby, wishing they'd be more gentle. _

_"Aren't you going to hurt her?" Edward asked, anger seeping into his voice. She was just so small and perfect and they looked like they were trying to break her. _

_"We do this all the time, Mr. Cullen." One of the nurses said with a smile as they stretched my little girl's legs to measure her._

_"Thirteen inches, six and a half pounds." Another nurse called before wrapping up and handing little Leah over. "Would you like to hold her, Mom?" I nodded and wiggled my fingers slowly. _

_"Please," I croaked, my exhaust coloring my words. They placed her in my arms and I gladly took the little warm body. "Oh my gosh," As soon as I held her to my chest and spoke, she quieted down, nuzzling into me. "Hi, baby girl." I whispered trailing my finger down her cheek as tears did the same on mine. Her eyes were slightly puffy but the kid was gorgeous and she had Edward's hair. I turned to see Edward way closer than I thought he was going to be, his eyes glassy. _

_"She's perfect." He whispered, she cracked her eyes open revealing a cloudy blue. I nodded, unable to keep my smile down as I looked at her. She looked up at us and gave us an adorable and small yawn, her eyes rolling from one of us to the next. Edward held out a finger out, tracing her palm and she let out a croak before grabbing his pinkie. _

_"Looks like she's got a strong grip just like her mother." I furrowed my eyebrows and he held up his right hand that had a red mark marring his pale skin. He chuckled and Leah squeaked, looking to him again, making us both grin. _

_"I'm sorry." I whispered to him, barely able to rip my eyes from Leah. He shook his head and tapped his lips. I rolled my eyes and kissed him chastely before looking down to Leah again. Her eyes fluttered shut, reminding me of how tired I was. _

_"I love you, beautiful." I whispered, tilting her up so I could kiss her forehead. She yawned again in her sleep and I smiled sleepily. _

_"Here," She was scoped out of my arms and I looked to see Edward holding her gingerly as he stared down at her. "Get some rest, Honey." He kissed the side of my head and then our mothers swarmed around him to get a good look. I took one last look at him holding our daughter before drifting off, content. _

_My family. _

-/~/~/-

"This has to be one of my favorite pictures." Edward chuckled lowly in my ear, going through the white envelope and rifling through it. He pulled out a picture of the two of us sitting together at our wedding reception. Just like in the picture in front of the house, Edward was dying with laughter as I scowled at the camera.

Emmett had decided that since it was a small ceremony with only our close family and friends, that he could make a vulgar joke about my new sleeping schedule. It was funny, but quite inappropriate especially with our parents… well my parents being there. Esme and Carlisle snickered quietly. Charlie grunted into his champagne before tossing it back and my mother and her plus three, her socialite friends that _had_ to be at the wedding, looked appalled.

There were actually pictures of the separate reactions, mom, her plus three and dad all sat with Esme, in the next picture we pulled out. It was another picture of us, this time both looking horrified as we sat together at the reception.

"Oh god…" I huffed turning to look at him over my shoulder. "They sent these pictures out?"

"You wanted them to capture the essence of our wedding and send the pictures out accordingly." He shrugged gesturing to the picture. "That's what they did. I had just taken this one out of the album in our old set though." He said as we stared at the picture I'd never seen before. In the next picture we were both turned in our chairs, along with everyone in the room behind us. You could see the police almost making it to the door with a woman locked between their grips.

"She almost ruined our wedding… Yet she's in the photos just as much as our parents." I scowled.

"Well to be fair, she gave a speech just like our parents… She just didn't happen to _leave_ like our parents did." I pursed my lips and shook my head.

"That bitch just needs to stay in jail."

"You know, she just got out again last month. It's kind of amazing that we haven't heard from her yet."

"Maybe the restraining order did its job." Tanya had turned into the biggest loon since Edward and I first started dating. After a little scoping, we'd found that Tanya was the last person to be in the house before it was burned down. All of the evidence of her being there was just eyewitness though. All of the real evidence went down with the house, after she set the grease fire.

It was terrifying, knowing that she was out of jail again. They'd only been able to stick her with two years, because of the lack of evidence. She still lived a few streets down with her parents, because you can't keep up your own place of residence while in jail. My only real fears were that she'd find a way to harm Edward or Leah. If either of them did end up being harmed I would be sitting in that jail cell right along with the bitch.

"Can someone braid my hair now?" Emily whispered from the door way, with a sleepy Leah standing at her side.

"Of course." I said before waving her and Leah in.

"Did you wake Leah up?" Edward asked, lifting the little girl up next to us and setting her on the bed. Emily shook her head and sat criss-cross apple sauce In between my knees as I started to braid her hair.

"No." Leah mumbled, "I don't want sleep… wanna cuddle." I looked over my shoulder to see her staring up at Edward with a pout.

"Keeping schedule is key, baby." I whispered as I could _feel_ his resolve crumbling behind me. Leah had this way of looking up at you from beneath her lashes that made you want to hug the hell out of her. She was the Puss in Boots incarnate. It was something that was heavily stocked in her arsenal against mommy and daddy and she used it regularly.

Daddy was weaker than most.

She was his kryptonite.

"I want to cuddle too." He said furrowing his eyebrows as he pulled away from me to pull Leah into his side.

I put a hand on his thigh, "I'll cuddle with you later. Come on, Edward." I shook my head and Emily moved to hit Edward in the arm.

"Dad says that if you say cuddle _one more_ time he's going to take away your man card and get Aunt Bella a-" She stopped, looking up at the ceiling as she tried to remember what Emmett had told her. "new… um… _pair of earrings,"_ She snapped, remembering what her dad told her. "because she can only wear your balls around for so long. He told me to hit you every time you said something girly."

"No hittin' Daddy, Em." Leah said, snuggling in under Edward's arm, pressing her cheek to his chest. She splayed a protective arm over his stomach and promptly began to drift off.

Edward raised his eyebrows, "Tell Emmett-" I covered Emily's ears and shook my head. He sighed and wrinkled his nose as I lowered my hands. "Not to be mean. And that I'm telling Rose what he said." She punched his arm again and I couldn't help but snicker.

"Mom was there, she laughed." Emily informed. Edward rubbed his arm in faux pain and gave her a 'What the hell' stare. "Tattling is a sissy move, Uncle Edward." I finished the braid off for Emily and kissed the top of her head.

"Alright, school's tomorrow, go get in bed." I said before hugging her after she stood and sending her off. I stood too and turned towards the bed, where a very content Leah slept in Edward's arms, her lips pouted in an adorable 'O' as they snuggled. Edward's eyes met mine before he shut them and pulled Leah in tighter. I pulled my phone out and snapped a picture of the absolute cuteness, before putting it back down and flicking Edward's ankle.

"Let's get her back to bed because the longer we wait to wake her, the crankier she'll be." I whispered as Leah moved in closer to him.

"Then don't wake her." He said before shushing me and lifting up his unoccupied arm. "I've got room for both of my girls, babe." He shrugged with a wink, of course he was _my_ kryptonite just as much as Leah was his.

I shook my head and gently packed away the pictures, moving them to the dresser not too far from our bed.

"Bella," I turned to look at him, he still held his arm out. "Get over here and cuddle with us." I furrowed my eyebrows at the wording and looked down at the pictures he'd taken so much time to get.

The least I could do is cuddle with him.

"I can see the battle in your eyes, honey. The sex appeal must be off the charts right now. Hot guy, in your bed…" He shrugged. "Holding a baby? If you can't handle it I guess I'll have to put her to bed, then-" he gingerly picked up Leah, putting her head on his shoulder, and kissing her temple. "I can show you _just_ how much I missed you." He spoke against my lips for a moment before giving me a lingering kiss that made my stomach burned with need as I watched him go.

Knowing exactly how long it took him to put Leah to bed I quickly stripped, peeling off my dress and pulling out the lacy babydoll set that Rose had helped me buy in honor of his return. It was a deep red satin piece that pushed up my boobs a tremendous amount as the silk descended from the bra, with a slit in it exposing me whole left side. I shimmied out of my panties as quickly as possible and slipped on the matching red thong, turning to examine the ensemble from behind.

I pulled my hair to one side before sliding into bed, crossing my long legs and fanning my hair out along the pillows behind me. I waited in the same spot for Edward for about twenty minutes before my eyes started to feel heavy.

"Oh fuck…" I whimpered as the twenty minutes turned into thirty. "Edward, come on." I whispered, sinking back into our oh-so-soft pillows. Once it went from half an hour to an hour I gave up and yanked the covers over my freezing body and passed out.

/~/-/~/

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

I shot up in bed, not quite remembering how I'd gotten there… or how I'd slept so long? Or where Edward was…

I had a lot of questions, okay?

I blinked slowly around the bright room and sighed as I stared at the clock that read seven. As soon as I flipped the covers back Edward burst into the room, tugging a hand through his hair. His eyes searched the room high and low, not once landing on me, in all my red glory. They zero'ed in on something at the base of the bed and he darted for it, scooping up a stuffed bear before rushing out of the room again.

I bit my lip as I stared out of the empty doorway with a lifted eyebrow. I smacked the Snooze button and fell back into bed. I'd taken off work to spend the day back with Edward, not knowing that he had the meeting with Thompson today. I still had to go in around lunch time anyway to back up Alice's presentation at the school, but I didn't need to be up at seven for that. The girls didn't need to be up until eight o'clock, seeing as Forks Elementary started at nine.

_Why am I up again?_

I moaned grumpily and yanked the covers over my almost naked body. A door closed from down the hall and I buried my head in my pillows, eager for more sleep.

Edward slipped back into the room, whispering. "Leah thought she lost the bear… Started crying and stuff." I nodded silently and squirmed around, trying to get warm.

"Look, I know I promised some form of sexing last night… I got into Leah's room and only made it through half a book of Green Eggs and Ham." The bed shifted and he slid underneath the comforter with me. "I'm so sorry." I turned as his arm slid around my waist and he pulled me in closer.

"It's fine, babe." I smiled sleepily. He searched my blurred eyes with concern before seeming content with what he found. He kissed my lips and rested his forehead against mine. I smiled and arched into him, pressing my too cold for words chest into his. After years of waking up almost smothered in Edward's hold I was almost unable to sleep or be comfortable unless I was unusually warm. It made his trips away all the harder.

"I can make it up to you."

"You're doing that now, just by being here." I whispered, breathing him in and letting his too-warm-for-words body heat me up. I moved my head onto his chest and he lifted the covers, to pull them higher before groaning.

"Jesus," His words lured me away from the sleep that was so needed. "My baby…" he moaned in my ear as his hands slid over the skin that the split in my babydoll revealed, his hand trailing all the way down my torso before he cupped my ass.

"This is new?"

"For you." I literally used all of my energy to push him back onto his back and straddle him. His eyes locked on my breasts with the same intensity as they did when he found the toy.

"How could I have missed this?" I leaned down and kissed him. He was already as full mast when my ass and pussy grazed over him, making both of us moan. "God so… you are _so_ sexy." I blushed at his words and he almost flung me off of him tossing me onto my back.

"I can't just have them dangling in my face," He grabbed my hands, pinning them above my head as I bucked off of the bed, looking for any kind of friction, anywhere. "Looking as good as they look, and not be able to do anything about it." He shook his head before lowering it and gently taking my left nipple between his teeth, through the bra. That's how hard it was.

"Edward, fuck, baby." I whimpered as his other hand came up to play with my other nipple.

"Who needs Green Eggs and Ham when I could have been in here eating you?" He moaned against my firm breasts, he pulled the cups down roughly and lapped lightly at my nipple, making it tighten impossibly further. "I need just _you._" Me hooked his fingers in my thong and yanked it down my legs.

"Give it to me, baby." I moaned quietly as He lifted my leg and situated it over his shoulder; He slid up between my legs and licked his lips.

"You really did miss me, didn't you, baby?" He whispered, dangling my panties in front of my face. The silk was soaked and I watched with a wanting pout as he licked up the crotch of the soaking panties.

"I missed you so much." I murmur as he impales me with two fingers. I tensed and tried to move away from his fingers, so that he'd actually fuck me.

"What? You don't want me to kiss your pretty little pussy?" He groaned, moving his fingers a bit before forcing them back in. He sent me that seductive wink before lowering his head and kissing my clit, my nerves were set on fire. I bucked into him and he lifted an eyebrow in challenge before diving in. I grabbed his hair and watched in complete amazement as he made me feel better than anyone ever has. How someone could look so good between another's legs? I'd never know, but god he made me want to sit on his face.

"Bite me, baby." I moaned as he worked my pussy over, interchanging between plunging his tongue in, licking up the insides of my pussy and peppering kisses to my clit. His bright greens met my brown eyes and he turned his head, lightly nipping me at the juncture where my thigh met my pelvis. I pushed his head down and he bit harder, pumping three fingers into me. The bite radiated up my spine in sharp tingles and I shouted out as he pushed me over the edge.

"I love you, gorgeous." He whispered, sliding back up my body and kissing my neck as I rode out my orgasm. My nails scraped down his back as he pushed into me and we both moaned at the feeling. I met his thrusts, as much as possible, but my husband was a power house.

And I was borderline jelly.

He pulled out of me, making me whimper at the loss and turned me on my side. I reached over my shoulder and slid my hand into his hair, moaning as he slipped into me from behind.

"God, you feel so good." He grunted into my ear, fucking me roughly. I groaned as I stretched around him, his length filled me to the brim. J rolled my hips back into his and he pressed a kiss to the back of my neck.

His thrusts started to slow until they were just long languid strokes. "Perfect." I whispered.

"Edward…" I moaned, trying to keep quiet. He pressed his face to the back of my neck, and my hand tightened in his hair as he grunted against my skin. His hands ghosted up my side and cupped my breasts, rolling my nipples between his fingers. His hips jackhammered into mine and the feeling was so intense that I was having trouble trying not to scream out.

"Ung, fuck me, baby…" I moaned out, chasing another orgasm.

"Fuck, I'm not gonna' last… So good." His hands tightened on my breast, kneading them and rolling my nipples. I bit my lip and fell over the edge, squeezing and milking him until he fell after me. He tensed behind me and moaned into my neck, rocking into me as he came down. He fell away from me and I turned to face him, both of us panting.

"God, I missed you." I sighed, still trying to catch my breath as he pulled the comforter over us. I peppered his chest with kisses and glanced up at the clock, which told me that I had less than a minute before the girls needed to be up.

"What time is your meeting?" I whispered, trailing my hand over his firm stomach.

"Ten…" He breathed into my hair, picking up my hand and playing with my fingers. "When do you have to leave?"

"Around then… The presentation is at eleven." The doorbell rang through the house and the sound of Puppy's claws sliding across the floors echoed through the house, followed by his barking.

"Oh crap," I pushed away from Edward, hurrying towards the bathroom. "Dad called drop off duty…" I said smacking a palm to my forehead.

"I'll get Puppy." He sighed tugging on pants and washing his hands as I found sweat pants and a t-shirt to pull on. I did the same and hurried out of the room as Leah came running out

"Puppy!" She screamed before heading down the stairs.

"I've got him, Leah. Go find, Mommy, honey." Edward called as he hurried out of the room. Puppy still went crazy downstairs and little Leah came running into the room.

"This is literally the worst place in the morning…" Emily groaned as she collapsed on the small couch in the room. In that moment she'd never looked more like her mother

"Sorry, honey. Grandpa called drop off duty though, so it's gonna' be a little wild." I shrugged, lifting Leah into my arms and peppering her sweet face with kisses. In all her angsty, pissed off glory. I laughed at the thought and Leah began tugging her fingers through my hair.

"Mommy, you gonna make breakfast?" Leah asked pressing her nose to mine.

"Of course. But we need to get you two dressed first." I said widening my eyes, mirroring hers.

"You're silly, mommy." She giggled before I blew a raspberry into her neck.

"You love me anyway." I rolled my eyes and she nodded, kissing the cheek that I tapped.

"You guys head on out." I kissed little Leah's forehead and then Emily's before sending them on their way. I headed down stairs to be almost knocked over by Puppy. I squatted in front of the dog and kissed his forehead.

"Whatcha doin, boy?" I scratched behind his ear and he gave me a grin, jumping to put his paws on my knees. "Ready to eat, bud?" I gasped before giving him an excited nod and kissing his eyes again. I let her move from my knees before standing, I turned to see Edward smiling at me from the doorway.

"Where's dad?" I asked smiling back in confusion.

"He's in the living room." I walked to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning back to look at him.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked as his arms wound around my waist.

"You're just so fucking cute." He chuckled, rubbing his nose with mine. I pouted my lips out for a kiss and he pretended to nip at them. I let out a giggle and he grinned, pressing a kiss to my smiling mouth.

I heard a huff and looked up in time to see dad spin on his heel and head away from us.

"Hey, dad!" I called, breaking away from Edward to hug my father as he continued to walk away from us.

"Hi, Bella." He said gruffly before giving me a light hug.

"Thanks for doing this." I said falling into step with him. He sighed and flicked his eyes to mine.

"It's not the first or last time, dear. You don't have to thank me every time I come." I rolled my eyes. I was just happy that he was around more often, it meant the world to me that he loved Leah more than he loved life itself.

"Where's the little one? That's who I came to see... Not..." He wrinkled his nose and gestured between Edward and I. Leah came skipping down the stairs with Emily trailing close behind her.

"We are ready, Mommy." Leah beamed before running towards Charlie and leaping into his arms.

"What's up, little one?" Dad asked landing a loud kiss on her cheek. I smiled before turning to see Edward hiking Emily up on his back.

"To breakfast!" He called before slapping my ass and galloping to the kitchen. Leah giggled at her Daddy as mine slung her up onto his shoulders. I grinned as I followed them into the kitchen before Edward and I started in on eggs and bacon, the only things he knew how to make. We moved quickly around the kitchen in tandem, laughing and conversing with dad and the girls.

"Alright, ladies." Dad spoke to the girls and clapping loudly as he picked up his car keys. Edward lifted Leah from her chair and gave her a eskimo kiss before handing her off to me and pulling Em into a hug.

"Bye bye, baby girl. Love you." I said kissing her cheek and not pulling away until she giggled and moved from my lips. "Emily!" I sang as Leah slid down me to the floor and scrambled to grandpa.

"Aunt Bella!" She cried back, letting me hug her tightly.

"Love you, kid. Have a good day." She nodded and moved toward Dad.

"Love you!" Edward yelled from behind me as Dad and the girls headed to the car.

"They'll be back, guys." Dad chuckled. "Please, try not to have a heart attack every time they leave." I hugged him tightly too and he all but brushed me off as he closed the garage door after him.

I turned and looked up at Edward, he smiled down at me, his eyes showing exactly what I was feeling.

Content.

What more could I ask for, I had a beautiful daughter, a gorgeous husband, a semi functional family and a great overall life. My family was my little slice of heaven, the most important people in my life. Despite all of the shit we'd been through in the past few years, we'd made it through together. Just like we would until the end.

"I love you." I whispered putting my forehead to his.

He smiled, pecking my lips. "More than anything."

(^()^)

**And that's all I wrote folks!**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**Thank you all for staying with me through this story! And thanks for your well wishes on the show! It went extremely well and we're prepared to make performance number two tonight even better!**


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